The Post Office today announced a two-year sponsorship deal with the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers (ACU&S) that will raise the standards of umpiring and scoring across cricket pitches around the UK and bring the expertise of past players back into the game.

Supported by the Post Office, the Association, in collaboration with the England and Wales Cricket Board and the MCC, is developing a national grading system for umpires, together with a range of instructor induction, refresher and grade-promotion training programmes aimed at improving the standards and consistency of umpiring throughout all levels of the game.

Basil Larkins, Managing Director Network Banking, said: "The Post Office is delighted to be co-operating with the Association in its efforts to raise the standard of umpiring. This exactly fits with the Post Office's commitment to professionalism and continuing improvement across its own operations as it develops new products and services, such as network banking and travel insurance, to meet customers' needs."

As part of the deal, the Post Office will provide members of the Association with a new white umpire's coat for this season's matches. The coats will carry the Post Office and ACU&S logos on the left breast pocket.

Mr Larkins continued: "The Post Office is, to many people, right at the heart of their community, providing a trusted and reliable service. This will be reinforced by becoming such an integral part of so many cricket matches in towns and villages throughout the summer."

For the first time, new umpires will also receive a Starter Kit courtesy of the Post Office in a sports bag bearing the Post Office and ACU&S logos, which will include a white coat, hat, set of bails, bowler's mark and a runs/ball counter - all the kit they need to help them run the match.

Barrie Stuart-King, Chairman of ACU&S, said: "Such generous sponsorship by the Post Office will provide a major boost to the Association's activities. The recreational game is suffering from a major shortage of umpires and scorers coming forward each year and the Starter Kit will be a key feature in our national recruitment campaign to attract recently-retired and past playing talent back into the game.

"It will also give our member umpires and scorers a new sense of identity and pride at being part of such an important, joint professional programme."

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