The Management Board have agreed to the implementation of laptop scoring. To facilitate this they are currently purchasing 25 netbook computers with Total Cricket Scorer software and mobile broadband.

These are being purchased by the league for use by clubs and the only expenditure for clubs is to top up the pay as you go dongle. The cost is £2 per day so for 12 home games the cost is £24.

The Asus 1005HA netbook has 10.5 hours of battery which will be helpful at grounds where there is no mains power. This computer was chosen after evaluation testing by Duncan Sloane of Yeadon who gave the board a detailed report on its suitability.

The computers will be the property of the league and an agreement will be drawn up with clubs regarding what is considered appropriate usage. In the event of inappropriate usage the club will be responsible for the cost of any damage to the computer. Similarly, if accessing inappropriate websites results in the computer being infected with a virus the club will be held responsible.

The computers are being purchased from the league’s funds. Laptop scoring will be compulsory for First Teams Division One clubs in 2010 and will become compulsory for First Teams Division Two clubs in 2011. A programme of training for scorers will be starting shortly.

The three scorers who trialed laptop scoring for the league last season, Duncan Sloane (Yeadon), Richard Kosmala (Woodlands) and John Atkinson (East Bierley) will act as trainers and mentors.

The initial priority is to train Division One scorers and clubs have been assigned to each mentor. Duncan Sloane will have responsibility for Baildon, Pudsey Congs, Pudsey St Lawrence and Farsley. John Atkinson will look after Cleckheaton, Bankfoot and Gomersal, while Richard Kosmala will be responsible for Bradford & Bingley, Saltaire
and Undercliffe.

All clubs MUST ensure that their first team scorer attends a training session. It is also advised that other people in a club who are interested in learning about laptop scoring can attend. The laptops will not be handed over until a representative of a club has attended training.

The training sessions are as follows:
Wednesday, March 3: Pudsey Congs, Pudsey St Lawrence and Farsley, Bradford & Bingley, Saltaire and Undercliffe at Pudsey Congs 7.30pm

Thursday, March 4 Bankfoot, Cleckheaton and Gomersal at East Bierley (7,30pm)

We hope to be able to fit in individual club training sessions if requested. If you have a group of people in your club who would like to learn about laptop scoring and would like a session tailored to your needs please contact editor@bradfordcricketleague.org These can be arranged, subject to trainer availability on Thursday nights, Saturday and Sunday mornings. The weekend sessions would allow more time for hands on experience.

Division Two clubs who would like start using laptop scoring this season should express their interest by emailing editor@bradfordcricketleague.org We will endeavour to extend the training programme to include them as soon as possible.

One of the great advantages of the system is that it reduces workload. Throughout the game a live scorecard for every Division One match will be transmitted to the league website and at the conclusion of play the summary sheet will be sent by email to results@bradfordcricketleague.org This will be accepted as the official results sheet. You can view an example at http://www.bradfordcricketleague.org/scoretest1.html

Division Two clubs and all second teams – unless they are using laptop scoring – will be required to send the same number of text messages as last year as well as submitting the league results form. Clubs are reminded that the deadline for submitting this has now been brought forward to midnight on the day of the match.

Anybody interested in trying out Total Cricket Scorer can download a free trial version of five games at http://www.totalcricketscorer.com.