An Umpire’s Lot…
Umpires, like referees I guess, have to expect a fair bit of criticism. It goes with the turf. For those that have been on the courses and do it week in week out and whose knowledge of the laws of the game is beyond question then it probably rolls off the back quite easily. However, when you’re a junior team coach and expected to don the white coat at fixtures it can be a pretty daunting challenge and mistakes and criticism can really sting.
At u11 it’s a pretty easy job. The odd run out, the rarest of lbws but mostly it’s about deciding how many wides and no balls to give. At u13s however the competitiveness increases, as does the skill and speed of play. Asked regularly for appeals on lbws, stumpings, run outs and caught behinds as well as looking for short runs, byes, leg byes and so on it becomes as big a challenge as it is for those umpiring the senior game.
I’ve had a few difficult decisions to give this year, one lbw against my own son, which I gave. Another lbw - when that same son was bowling this time – that I also gave (and not as compensation for the previous week) and a catch behind against one of our guys that I turned down.
Now the lbws were plum in my opinion, pitching in line with the stumps and hitting the pad well below the knee roll and both times the batsman was back in his crease and the ball made no contact with the bat. The caught behind was a difficult one, to a quicker ball slightly wide of leg (not wide enough to be so called), I saw it deviate into the keeper’s hand who briefly gloved it close to the ground on the leg side and the ball was quickly flicked up to slip.
 A vigorous appeal followed and I ruled not out as I believed that it had (a) hit the pad and not the bat as I heard no audible nick and (b) I was unconvinced that the keeper had gloved the ball cleanly or for long enough for it to be ruled a catch. The bowler asked why, I told him and then the ‘Rooney and Ronaldo act’ followed with the team asking their coach (square leg umpire to overrule). He stated that he was unsighted and I asserted my authority and stated clearly that the decision – right or wrong – was mine to give and I had ruled it not out and that was the end of it. The opposition boys continued to protest and I had to ask them fairly firmly to continue with the game.
In conversation with the bastman afterwards he admitted that the ball had hit the bat but he thought the keeper had failed to glove the ball and the keeper himself had said he was unsure whether he had done so cleanly. I was disappointed to learn that the ball had taken a nick because I don’t like getting decisions wrong (in the sense that I thought it hit the pad and that is the primary reason I gave for the decision). However, I feel partially vindicated to the extent that doubt existed as to whether it was a clean take and I had also been of that view.
What I take considerable exception to however is the overly agressive and unnecessary way in which the opposition team chose to challenge the decision. This is a football disease and, until and unless the rules are changed, has no place on a cricket square. I would be mortified if my u13s had reacted similarly over an umpire’s decision in this way (and make no mistake we have had some howlers given against us), but you accept it and walk.
Umpires are not above the law, they have to be big enough to admit when they get it wrong (if they are later proven to have done so) but all they can do is their best on the day. They have only one set of eyes and ears just like everyone else and one chance to see the action and make their decision. It’s a tough job and those decisions should be respected, in all versions of the game; but particularly by juniors.
June 26, 2009
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One Response
Interestingly, the following week saw a pretty poor performance by an opposition umpire give a run out (that was clearly in), ruling a clean bowled as a no ball for passing the bat above waist height and restricting the bowlers to three overs when junior rules clearly state that four overs is the maximum.
I have sympathy with the run out, the no ball was just a bad decision (and not her’s to call as she was at square leg) and as for the three over issue – there is no excuse for not being fully ‘au fait’ with junior rules.
What pleased me was that, other than a polite enquiry from our skipper on the three over ruling, each decision was accepted and we got on with the game. Happily the result was unaffected and well done to our lads for showing the true spirit of cricket – makes you proud to have coached them!
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