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Post by missingleg on Aug 12, 2008 18:49:19 GMT
I had one of the most dreadful umpiring experiences of my short career on Sunday. I was the only umpire and due to the wind we played without bails. A batsman from team A was stumped out - the ball passed him, the wicketkeeper touched the bailless stumps with the ball. He appealed - their 'square leg' said not out. Immediately after, the batsman lifted his back foot and the 'keeper stumped him again in the same way. Sq. leg gave him out, the batsman wouldn't walk because 'he needed to up-root a stump. I said that's not true and pointed him to the law afterwards.
However, when team A was fielding, the captain decided to pursue a vendetta and made it his sole aim to make my job as hard as possible. He fielded himself with his foot a millimetre off the pitch and kept looking at me and tried it on with my knowledge of other laws.
Anyway, one of his bowlers bowled 3 accidental beamers, none of which hit the batsman but all of which passed him above waist height. According to the laws, this qualifies for 'dangerous and unfair' bowling. Now, I phoned my mentor and he said I was right to do so - but it seems some umpires simply call no-ball and don't warn bowlers. I wouldn't mind this but it means we're being inconsistant, which captains hate. I didn't want to be unpopular or overbearing but the laws state that this has to be done. Needless to say - this made me very unpopular
with the fielding captain who thought I was 'extreme' in my enforcement of the laws - BUT IT'S THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE so as not to cause injury to the batsman.
On top of this, I had to issue penalty runs to the fielding team for the batsmen constantly running on the pitch. It ended in farce with the scorers not understanding the signal - I felt sick at the end! What an experience...
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Post by johnfgolding on Aug 12, 2008 20:47:45 GMT
I had one of the most dreadful umpiring experiences of my short career on Sunday. I was the only umpire and due to the wind we played without bails. A batsman from team A was stumped out - the ball passed him, the wicketkeeper touched the bailless stumps with the ball. He appealed - their 'square leg' said not out. Immediately after, the batsman lifted his back foot and the 'keeper stumped him again in the same way. Sq. leg gave him out, the batsman wouldn't walk because 'he needed to up-root a stump. I said that's not true and pointed him to the law afterwards. However, when team A was fielding, the captain decided to pursue a vendetta and made it his sole aim to make my job as hard as possible. He fielded himself with his foot a millimetre off the pitch and kept looking at me and tried it on with my knowledge of other laws. Anyway, one of his bowlers bowled 3 accidental beamers, none of which hit the batsman but all of which passed him above waist height. According to the laws, this qualifies for 'dangerous and unfair' bowling. Now, I phoned my mentor and he said I was right to do so - but it seems some umpires simply call no-ball and don't warn bowlers. I wouldn't mind this but it means we're being inconsistant, which captains hate. I didn't want to be unpopular or overbearing but the laws state that this has to be done. Needless to say - this made me very unpopular with the fielding captain who thought I was 'extreme' in my enforcement of the laws - BUT IT'S THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE so as not to cause injury to the batsman. On top of this, I had to issue penalty runs to the fielding team for the batsmen constantly running on the pitch. It ended in farce with the scorers not understanding the signal - I felt sick at the end! What an experience... I thought I had my match from hell this seasons, but it pales into insignificance compared with your story. I hope you mentor gave you some encouragement and talked through the whole match with you. I agree with you about the number of colleagues I stand with that only no ball for beamers and do not caution. Yes it makes you inconsistant, but surely this is something you discuss with your colleague BEFORE taking the field. Again they will agree with you, but do their own thing. As Blackbeard said on this forum, perhaps they are rich enough to stand being sued. To quote a song "Things can only get better". |
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Post by cheltump on Aug 12, 2008 21:04:11 GMT
If I had a colleague who refused to issue a caution for a beamer, I would withdraw from the match immediately for my own protection.
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Post by Number 6 on Aug 12, 2008 22:01:42 GMT
If I had a colleague who refused to issue a caution for a beamer, I would withdraw from the match immediately for my own protection. A little extreme perhaps but I would certainly have a word at the earliest possible opportunity if my colleague didn't warn on the first beamer. I always issue warnings for beamers. |
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Post by johnfgolding on Aug 13, 2008 6:40:39 GMT
If I had a colleague who refused to issue a caution for a beamer, I would withdraw from the match immediately for my own protection. A little extreme perhaps but I would certainly have a word at the earliest possible opportunity if my colleague didn't warn on the first beamer. I always issue warnings for beamers. I always discuss this with my colleague before the match so he knows where I stand and WHY. It is then up to him, the law clearly states it. If he no balls and I have any doubt whether he / she issued a caution I always check at the first opportunity and make a note. This is a hobby for me & I cannot afford to loose my house. |
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Post by TrueDub on Aug 13, 2008 9:06:49 GMT
I felt sick at the end! What an experience... I can understand why you felt sick, I've had games like this one myself, but it sounds like to handled it really well. You should be proud that you came through it and handled it in the appropriate manner, and that you didn't react to any of the provocation. One of my first senior matches here was a game in the national competition. The home side appealed to me on at least 4 balls of every over delivered from my end, trying to intimidate me into giving them a decision. There was faux-friendly banter too, along the lines of "you haven't been doing this very long, have you? We've never heard of you". Luckily, I'm not always quick to grasp these things and only realised afterwards what was going on, so I simply gave each decision as I saw it. On leaving the pitch my much more experienced colleague congratulated me on my composure, which meant a lot. Since that game, I've umpired that side twice without a hint of an issue, and indeed considerably more friendliness. My rambling point is: a horrible game like your one, which you came through without compromising your umpiring remit, will stand immeasurably to you in future games. You'll be more confident and the players will know you wont take any nonsense. |
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Post by jaybee on Aug 13, 2008 12:32:57 GMT
I can only sympathise because so few umpires do enforce the dangerous bowling rules properly, which leaves me - and no doubt others who do warn - feeling isolated. This is so even when I've used John Golding's technique of making it plain to all at the pre-match discussion. Last time out I had my first 2-beamer occasion - in an eventful over with 2 wides as well from a nervous young player. I accompanied the caution with words to the bowler that I knew it was unintentional and that it's a safety matter. After the second occasion I mentioned the safety aspect again to him and to his captain, making it plain that another occurrence meant him being taken off. The skipper took him off at the end of the over and fortunately all this was taken in good grace. missingleg: your experience was particularly unfortunate but you were right to stand your ground. By the way I hope the captain in your case leaned away from the pitch if he was standing so close - it would be a no-ball if his arm or hand extended over the line and into the 10-foot wide strip (Law 41(6)). Now that would have put the cat amongst the pigeons!  |
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Post by blackbeard on Aug 13, 2008 15:06:19 GMT
I have stated this elsewhere on this site, if you do not up hold the laws of cricket and a claim for negligence is made against you, 1) you will not be covered by the insurance as you were negligent in not up holding the law, 2) you will not get any sympathy from ECB?
If you have a colleague who does not up hold the law, then you should mention this fact to your appointments officer, as the league could also be in trouble and be sued for putting out incompetent umpires.
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Post by johnfgolding on Aug 13, 2008 16:26:26 GMT
I can only sympathise because so few umpires do enforce the dangerous bowling rules properly, which leaves me - and no doubt others who do warn - feeling isolated. This is so even when I've used John Golding's technique of making it plain to all at the pre-match discussion. It is unfortunate and indeed frustrating that even discussing it with the other umpire does not always have the desired effect. Most people on my "circuit" know that I will caution and no ball and the first "beamer". I have NEVER been marked down by a captain for doing it. I did go through a short phase of telling the captains, particularly in youth cricket, that I will caution on the FIRST beamer. I don't do that now. |
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Post by davidmichael on Aug 28, 2008 12:19:36 GMT
If I could add a comment, somewhat belatedly, to this thread. I once, in my first season, failed to issue a warning after no-balling a delivery above waist height (not a "beamer"). My colleague was also my umpiring instructor, and, at the end of the over, he came across and made it very clear that I should have done. I have never failed to do so since. Umpires have no discretion in the matter. I am surprised to read of umpires who do not give a warning on the first or subsequent occasion. In my area, everybody does; it's simply not an issue.
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