Oxfordshire umpire Mick Warren is at the centre of dispute which threatens the funding of youth cricket in the county, writes MICHAEL KNOX.

Warren, is secretary of the International Institute of Cricket Umpiring & Scoring, a training organisation which boasted last month of producing Britain’s youngster qualified umpire.

Ethan Peel, a 15-year-old from Wallingford, was touted as the record- holder, having been trained by the IICUS.

However, this claim was rejected by the English Cricket Board, who do not recognise IICUS as a training body. The ECB also point out that they have produced a qualified umpire aged 14.

Warren, from West Oxfordshire, who conducted Peel’s training, is a director and secretary of IICUS, which the ECB have been trying to outlaw for some time.

Although not a member, Warren is closely associated with the Oxfordshire Cricket Board, having organised the complete youth fixture list – and appointed umpires – for many years.

The ECB have put pressure on the Oxfordshire Board to disassociate themselves from Warren and IICUS.

“This has left us in a very diffcult position,” said Oxfordshire Board chairman Chris Clements, who indicated that a large chunk of money allocated for youth cricket could be withheld by the ECB if they did not comply.

“We are in danger of losing a valued volunteer, but we must comply with the ECB’s wishes.

“We’ve asked Mick Warren to disassociate himself from IICUS, but have so far had no reply.

“The ECB are taking a very hard line on this. The OCB fully support that position.

“The ECB will take a very dim view if this county continues to be the centre of their UK activities.”

Warren, while declining to comment on his future, said: “We are professional body working for the interests of cricket umpires and scorers everywhere. It is most unfair that we are being discriminated against in this way.”

He did admit that Ethan Peel’s BTEC award for umpiring did not involve a written test, but continued assessment both on and off the field.

Peter Tomlin, chairman of Oxford-shire’s cricket umpires and scorers, said that there was no way that Warren could be involved in Oxfordshire umpiring unless he severed his ties with IICUS.

* The International Institute of Cricket Umpiring and Scoring, founded in 2006, is a registered company, with an address in Surbiton, Surrey.

Claiming to have links in Australia and India, it runs a number of training courses for umpires and scorers, ending with BTEC certificate.

Originally, the organisation had bases in Liverpool, Gloucester and Northants, but it is believed that Oxfordshire is now the only active base.