NEDLANDS cricket umpire Chris McCann, who also umpires WAFL, became the youngest first-grade umpire in WACA history when he stood in the game between Claremont-Nedlands and Midland-Guildford this month.
The 19-year-old said he was a little nervous but had umpired half a game a few weeks before so he was confident.
“It was a cracker of a game. Claremont won outright, which is pretty rare, and the standard of the game was high,” McCann said.
“I started umpiring last year for the thirds, did the seconds up to Christmas and now I’ve got the firsts.”
He said that while he was a keen cricket follower, he had joined the WA Football League umpiring squad in 2008 and the two seasons overlapped, so umpiring both sports allowed him to stay involved.
“They are different sports and there are pluses and minuses about each,” he said.
“With cricket you are 22 yards away while footy is among the action.” McCann, who previously played for Claremont-Nedlands and Scarborough cricket clubs, said he had umpired WAFL reserves games last year but hoped to step up to the league this year.
He spends two nights a week training for WAFL umpiring and attends monthly meetings and seminars as well as sitting theory exams for cricket in its off-season.
