I'm thinking about becoming a cricket umpire. Are there any courses or night school classes to teach you the rules?

"The rules" are the Laws of the Game. I'm fairly certain there will be classes as with abuse etc. I would expect that numbers of umpires prepared to stand, are diminishing. There could be a special laws of the game publication but they can be found in a copy of a Wisden Almanack.
Revising laws can be very dry and if you can get in a group and discuss things, it's amazing what the most seasoned watcher doesn't know!
http://www.ycb-yca.org.uk/umpires_and_scorers.html

The Laws of the Game are here, and take note of the Spirit of Cricket preamble too.

Here you go (http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/)

There is a course so you can be qualified to umpire (much like a referee has to be qualified at football), but I've lost the link just now .........

"The rules" are the Laws of the Game. I'm fairly certain there will be classes as with abuse etc. I would expect that numbers of umpires prepared to stand, are diminishing. There could be a special laws of the game publication but they can be found in a copy of a Wisden Almanac.
Revising laws can be very dry and if you can get in a group and discuss things, it's amazing what the most seasoned watcher doesn't know!
http://www.ycb-yca.org.uk/umpires_and_scorers.html

That'll be the link then ........ oops ........ :hihi:

Visit sycl.co.ukfrom there go to the forums, you may need to register, but this is free. Make a post for the attention of Terry Bentham (Head Umpire) and im sure he will get back to you quicker than you can snap your fingers.

MELV 2008 - is this of interest?
There is a new 10-week umpiring course starting in Sheffield on Jan 10, 2008, at the Transport ground at Meadowhead, 7.15pm.
The training officer is Cliff Evans on 2366834 or the branch secretary, Stuart Granger on 2884563, for those interested and everyone interested is welcome.

A six-week course is being run on Wednesday evenings at Outo-kumpu Sports Club on Bawtry Road at 7.15pm, leading to the ECB Level One qualification. I've read this in The Star so for anyone interested, contact Terry Bentham on 01226-213543.

The South Yorkshire Cricket League, in conjunction with the South Yorkshire Umpires Association, have arranged a new training course for new umpires and those interested in taking up umpiring.

The course will be held at the Outokumpu Sports Club, Bawtry Road, Sheffield, commencing at 7.15pm on Wednesday 1st October 2008. It will last for six weeks on Wednesday evenings and will conclude with an examination which will lead to an English Cricket Board level one qualification which will be sufficient for them to umpire in all leagues in the South Yorkshire area.

Everyone welcome, players, officials or any person wishing to smarten up on laws so they can argue better with umpires.

Anyone interested in this course can contact Mr. Terry Bentham on 01226-213543 for further information or just turn up at the venue on the first night.

Source: South Yorkshire Cricket League

There is a high demand for cricket umpires, especially in the Sheffield Midweek Alliance Cricket League.

Hope this helps

I attended the abovementioned course and it was first class. It was aimed at all levels of knowledge from those with passing interest to avid cricketers and as such attracted a very diverse group of over 20. At the end of the course most of us passed the level one ECB examination which means we are qualified to stand in many high quality leagues.
There is another course under the auspices of the ECB being run at the Transport Ground, Meadowhead, in early January 2009. Details will be posted on the South Yorkshire Cricket League web site in due course. Alternatively Stuart Granger or Terry Bentham can give further information. They are always on the look out for fresh blood to add to the umpiring fraternity.
I would urge anyone with an interest in becoming an umpire or simply wishing to brush up their knowledge of the laws to attend. The course at Outo Kompu was free of charge!