NEW! For all the latest match reports click here
PLEASE NOTE: As of 21.7.10, our new postal address for all correspondence is swissFOCUS, 3000 Bern
Current edition of swissFOCUS's e-Newsletter - January-June 2010
We are pleased to inform you about a swissFOCUS “Introduction to Scoring” course to be held on Sunday 15th August 2010. Details are as follows:
  • Name: sFOCUS Introduction to Scoring Course
  • Date: Sunday 15th August 2010
  • Time: 10am (theoretical) and 2.30pm (practical)
  • Location: Nokia Siemens Networks SA, 3rd Floor, Chemin d'Entre-Bois 29, 1018 Lausanne
  • Cost: CHF20 for members (CHF25 for non-members)
Participants are reminded that they are expected to finance their own travel arrangements, lunch/refreshments and supply their own writing materials. Based on the score-sheets returned after the practical section (at which participants get to score a real SCA cricket match), successful applicants will attain “Recognised” scoring status, a Swiss official qualification that enables them to score domestic Swiss cricket as a neutral scorer.
If you are interested in attending this course, or know someone that would be, or if you require further details, please email before 9th August 2010.
Introduction to Umpiring Course
An “Introduction to Umpiring” course was held on Saturday 10th April 2010 in Bern under the guidance of Alex McKay. sFOCUS are pleased to announce that all 8 participants completed the course successfully and are thereby qualified to officiate in domestic Swiss cricket matches.
JUST IN! Essential kit for the new season

Product Price (CHF)
Scorebook 15.00
Ball counter5.00
Officials on-field set25.00
Bundle*45.00
* 1 scorebook, 2 counters and one Officials’ on-field set.

For orders or enquiries about these or other products, please email
NEW! sFOCUS is now making its presence felt on Facebook. Have a look here
EGM Following the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Swiss Federation Of Cricket Umpires & Scorers on Saturday 27th March 2010 in Bern, the executive committee is now composed as follows:
  • Chair: Alex McKay
  • Secretary & Director of Scoring: Mira Koshy (co-opted)
  • Treasurer: Paul Cawsey
  • Webmaster: Richard M. Thomas (co-opted)
sFOCUS AGM 2009 The Annual General Meeting of the Swiss Federation Of Cricket Umpires & Scorers took place on Saturday 28th November, 2009 in Bern.
ECB ACO Following the vote by ACU&S members to join the new ECB ACO,ACU&S affairs are being wound up - and the ACU&S website is no longer active. Paid-up members of the ACU&S at the time of the merger have been offered the opportunity to have their existing membership transferred to the new organization. For further details please go to http://www.ecb.co.uk/ecb/ecb-association-of-cricket-officials/
The impact that these changes will have on sFOCUS as an organisation, particularly on course structure and qualifications, is currently under investigation as are the consequences for individual members of sFOCUS who were members of the ACU&S or who are, or may become, members of the ACO. Further information will be posted here as it becomes available.
Acumen Message Board for Cricket Umpires & Scorers Acumen hosts a discussion on technical aspects of cricket on its website, which can be found at http://nompere.proboards37.com/
Young Player Directive
In line with recent ECC directives, in order to protect young players and the Umpire, swissFOCUS members are required to enforce a Young Player Directive with immediate effect.
This directive reads:
  • All young players who have not reached their 18th birthday must wear a helmet with a faceguard when batting and when standing up to the stumps when wicket keeping.
  • Parental consent not to wear a helmet will not be accepted in adult matches.
  • If a young player enters the field without the necessary protective equipment the swissFOCUS umpire will enforce this directive by stopping the game until the necessary protective equipment is being worn.
  • Member clubs of the Swiss Cricket Association should notify umpires of juniors in the U18 group before the start of a match.
It is worth noting that this directive is not designed to diminish any individuals enjoyment of the game but merely to protect them from physical injury.
Everyone's cooperation in this matter is appreciated.
Umpires' Match Report Form The match report form on the 'Services' page can now be sent electronically. A printable version is also still available.
Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
Only 7 sF First Edition Match Officials' Organizers left. No cricket umpire or scorer should be seen without one. Click here for further details.
Evaluate Your Umpires
sFOCUS would greatly value your feedback on the quality and overall performance of the match officials we supply. Please take a few moments to fill out a short form which gives you the opportunity of contributing to improvements in the overall standard of cricket in Switzerland. The form and further details can be found here.
sFOCUS Spirit Of Cricket Awards
To acknowledge recent improvements in the Spirit in which cricket is played in Switzerland - and with the aim of encouraging further progress, sFOCUS presents an annual Spirit Of Cricket award For details, please click here.
baggy green Legends of the Baggy Green: Dubious behaviour and achievements from cricket's chequered history.
by Alexander Buzo
Allen & Unwin 2004, ISBN 1 74114 385 3
Alex Buzo writes: 'Members of sFocus may be interested to know that a chapter in my latest book deals with cricket in Switzerland. The chapter is called Memories of Development and deals with my time at Ecolint, playing for Geneva, the foundation of sFocus, Bill Frindall's memoir, and the role of umpiring and scoring - using sFocus as the main example.'
Looks like good reading...
Ties
Superb Club ties are now available at the remarkable price of CHF25.
Please place your order with the Treasurer - and please use the payment slip available on the 'Services' page. 		sf_tie_sample (2K)
Executive Meetings
The sFOCUS executive generally meets on the first Tuesday of each month. All members are welcome to attend and contribute to the discussion (but cannot vote). These meeting are usually held in the Restaurant Muskatnuss at 18:30, but please check with an executive member to confirm, if you would like to attend.

Downloadables
Umpires' match Reports as well as various scoresheets are available from the services page