Ian Hopkins, as a representative of Lincolnshire ACO and UK Armed Forces ACO, was involved as an umpire in the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Games 2023, held in Birmingham in August 2023.
Ian was initially selected to officiate in four matches: India Men v Australia Men as Match Referee, and England Women v Australia Women, Australia Men v Pakistan Men and India Women v England Women as an on-field umpire. At the conclusion of the Group matches, Ian was further selected as an on-field umpire for the Men’s semi-final, Bangladesh v India.
Ian has been umpiring cricket since 2007 and has been involved with Blind/Visually Impaired Cricket since 2012. Ian said, ‘In many respects, with the smaller ball, it is a totally different game, much more like what we in the VI community call “red ball” cricket. Opportunities to umpire international matches were few, simply because they just weren’t being played, but I kept my hand in by attending England training sessions, including a weekend in early August this year at the ECB National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough, and I made my debut as an international cricket umpire in the IBSA World Games 2023’.
He continued: ‘Over a week it was an amazing experience, umpiring as I was with umpires from different parts of the country, and indeed the world since Australia, India and Pakistan all sent an umpire to the Games. The level of experience was vast, with one of our number having recently umpired the ECB National Club Championship at Lord’s and another being a National Panel umpire’.
‘I learnt a great deal both on and off the field, and I am immensely looking forward to applying that learning in future games. The experience can only make me a better umpire in all formats of the game, and it will stand me in good stead as I seek to progress in the game’. If anybody is interested in finding out more about Blind/Visually Impaired Cricket, or umpiring this format of the game, Ian can be contacted on – ivhopkins@btinternet.com