Changes to umpiring appointments announced by the International Cricket Council this week offer a bigger carrot to the ambitions of umpires than is already the case.

Appointing an elite group of eight umpires to have control of most of the matches in the world, with no home umpires standing in local Tests, had been expected and rather than being an obstacle in umpire recruitment, it could be an incentive, according to New Zealand Cricket's umpiring manager Brian Aldridge.

"It does diminish the chances for local umpires standing in Tests but the larger second tier panel, which could have as many as 25 umpires, offers chances for experience.

"There will still be third umpire duties to be carried out by home umpires in every country," he said.

Just who will be promoted to, or relegated from, the elite panel will be the decision of an international umpiring manager to be appointed by the ICC.

He will be required to work closely with umpiring managers in each country. At the moment, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England are the only countries with full-time umpiring managers.

"He will have the job of finding out where the good umpires are coming from. It is also a chance for countries to lobby for one of their own umpires to be included on the elite panel.

"That is a plus, we've never had that before," Aldridge said.

There was a certain amount of acceptance of the move among New Zealand umpires. It was part of a gradual process and there was an awareness of what the ICC was trying to do.

"Hopefully, it will take a lot of the controversy out of the job because we will have the best in control.

"Umpires are like players, the more time you have in the middle the better you should be.

"It enhances the image of umpiring," Aldridge said.

The move also made umpires look less vulnerable while it also provided ex first-class players who might consider umpiring as a career option with a viable opportunity for a post-playing career.

"If they were good enough they could make a good career out of it, and that would be good," he said.

Players in New Zealand had not been inclined to take up umpiring. Aldridge said he understood that.

Players retiring were generally in their mid-30s and often had families or careers to consider and didn't have the time for umpiring.

But while no incomes for the elite umpires had been announced Aldridge said: "It'll have to be attractive - some of these guys have pretty good jobs they would have to give up."

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