WITH BAT & BALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7302, 5 December 1910, Page 1

WITH BAT & BALL

THE SUMMER GAME UMPIRING OF TO-DAY By A. C. Maoluren. [All IJislits Itesprvcil.l Opinion* am so of ton divided amongst those who take part in the game that an ampii'c is absolutely necessary to settle the disputed point. The best umpire is tho man who makes the fewest, mistakes. Umpires its well as these playing the game have their off days. It is necessary tar an umpire to he in Iho host of health when officiating in a first-class match, for ho has to keep cool and collected, besides having to count tho halls in an over and have his eyes in every part of the field at oucc. If all those playing the game to-day would do their utmost to make an umpire feel comfortable, more especially so in the case of a man who ii only just commencing, ho would most certainly be more likely to do himself justice Mum would bo the case when bowlers make unnecessary and Useless appeals, whien treatment is apt to upset tlm temper and, not infrequently starts oncer two of the rougher element in the crowd —provided always tho game is played on the home ground—io commence jeering the umpire. 1 have noticed that cerium bowle.s appeal oa their own ground to a tar greater extent than they do in matches, that are played away, wliich conduct is scarcely worthy of tho true cricketer. On behalf of the bowler, turnover, it should be said that at times it is most difficult to stop appealing when a leg is put in trout, and when tho ball has been snicked on to the same. In this case an appeal is often started, but is checKeii, ami fuo umpire tuts not to give his decision. If umpires are hustled by a team, thou Hint team deserves all .that it. gets in adverse decisions. There ’certainly have been occasions on which umpires, have appeared pleased when they have given a man out wlto misses nothing tor tho want of asking, ■ For a catch at the wicket evdryone who hears it is entitled to shout, but for an Ibw it is generally considered bad form tor anyone excepting tho bowler and wicket-keeper to appeal, although there are some short slips who occasionally ask for an Ibw. But, although there is no reason why the batsman should ruffle himself over a slip’s appeal, yet I have heard some lively conversation between the two people concerned owing to this type of appeal. It is' not possible for. slip to see if the ball pitched on the wioket, although he can guess fairly well as to what is aud what is not out from that position. Umpires might with advantage ignore an appeal from point for Ibw, which is not often made, although I can recall a good many instances. . - BAD MARKS. The wearisome cricket with no prospect of a finish upsets umpires uiost, and small blame to them. Of late tho umpires to me appear to have been on the top of their form, although there was a bad mark oa a rare occasion or two, but tho bad mark is of little or no/account unless both captains attach their signatures to it. On one occasion a captain told me that his opponent had three had mark., against an umpire in a match, all of which were ridiculous, and ho very rightly refused to report anything but good for tho umpire. Another time an opponent told mo ho was not .satisfied with a man who had always given satisfaction and that he would write to headquarters; but better counsels prevailed, and that umpire to-day we look upon up North as one of the best. Hy sympathy goes out to the first-class umpires because every one of them is fair and unbiassed and does his best, but there are others in Saturday afternoon matches against 'whom complaints are irequent, and made by sound cricketers too. Their chief fault is giving “out” it tho first opportunity any first-class slayer who may Happen to come and play iga'mst die team for which they umpire, "which is not only most unjust to a good at an,, who, as likely as not, cannot get iway for his county, but also deprives ;hc spectators- of a lot of pleasure in watching a high-class batsman perform. It is one thing giving the lord, of the manor' "in,” which nobody objects to -xccpting probably the lord himself, and mother thine altogether sending a tip-top batsman to the right-about for an Ibw when the ball pitched a foot outside the od --tump. , . A BAD APPEAL. It gives mo tho greatest pleasure to hear the umpire answering a bad appeal, and there is one umpire in particular who can make it very hot for anyone who does his best to give him a bad time, the reply being quite enough to keep the appealer quiet for a, time at any rate. If a little more indignation was shown by other umpires on occasions there would be less appealing, tor some are certainly imposed upon. Cricketers soon weigh up an umpire’s weakness if ho has one, which may bo tho giving cf the doubt, in case of an Ibw, to a bowler and not to a batsman, which causes one to bo extra careful with one’s pads. But tho umpire who has not been distinguishing himself in a game will at times quite unsettle a batsman who is.not sure what tho umpire will do next. It has been said with a good deal of truth that old professional cricketers will umpire ’ according to what they were themselves when they used to play, some favouring tho batsman, whilst others, who have bow led, generally give tho trundler the doubtful one, although it is done unwittingly. Uno grudge I have against umpires is tiiat when they know they have made a mistake they never will alter their decision, but prefer to apologise for tho mistake which they admit they have made. ... Many points have to bo left to the honour of the cricketers, such as what is a boundary and what is not, which the umpire cannot see on occasions; also the catch, close to, the ground, which ought never to be thrown up unless absolutely “out.” Hero the umpire ought to. bo assisted hy batsmen and fieldsmen settling it between them first if possible. AM UMPIRE’S MISTAKE.

There certainly have been instances of men caught a foot off the ground who have preierred to-stay at the wickets on the chanco of being allowed to continue. Such a caso happened lately at Old Trafford, when there was no question of the man being out. and the umpire, who Had not to decide* the point, vary rightly spoke to this batsman afterwards, who was sorry that ho had not gone out. and no doubt at the time felt ho was justified in staying until given -oat. - The um-

pi re who made the mistake was so upset that ho was unable to eat any luncheon, arid was the picture of unhappiness for tho rest of the day in spite of our efforts to cheer him up. It is when an umpire is in tills' frame of ■ mind that he fails, and wo should do our best to make him welcome wherever ,we may bo playing. The umpiring one witnesses in publicschool matches is; rather inconsistent at times, but there are occasions when, it is quite in tho order of things to give a boy a second innings, especially so when he has been dead out of Tuck. At Harrow one cannot help’ being struck with tlie fairness of tne umpiring ns carried on by tho boys id the ordinary games, when the two boys ,who aro to go in next officiate, for the temptation to give one of your own men “out” to get an innings yourself must be very strong, especially if it is nearing the end of the game owing to call over. : ; I have heard old amateur cricketers talk seriously, about standing in a county match; Nothing but good could come of this, for they could .talk to a man on tho field in a "manner that the'professional is unable to do, and Dam sure there would not be so manv useless appeals os are mode to-day, although there is nothing to grumble at in that respect. CRICKET WITHOUT AM UMPIRE.

If umpiring was done away with entirely. as suggested lately, there would bo some “tine old wrangles,” for i't is impossible to tell exactly what has happened sometimes. Unco at Soorborough nobody appealed for a catch at tho wicket, although I started bat aid not finish the appeal, and yet the umpire told mo the man was “out” right enough, and my own side had been laughing at me previously. Against Blackpool, when I was hatting, I commenced to drive a ball high, but at the last moment dropped my wrists and allowed the ball to pass, since it was not far enough up to 'hit. To my surprise thero was a general appeal for a catch at the wicket, which tho umpire gave in my favour, as I felt suro ho would. The opposing skipper. told, me he heard the catoh in the deep field when I told him I was nowhere near/the- ball and had given uti the st: oke, but ho went away laughing, convinced that I was “out.” What .would, have happened in such a caso without an umpire? X should have been obliged to go out, aud arguments ,-alore would have followed in tho dress-ing-room. Sharp practice in first-class cricket is unheard iif to-day. aud the umpires themselves will bear me out in this. Such dodges as rubbing the elbow when the hall has been caught oft one’s wrists are things of the past, and, rather than mako their task more difficult players in the county engagements prefer to aid tho men who don the white coats. Mo sano man, conversant with county cricket as it is played to-day, would prefer to do away with umpires.

Next Monday—“ Test Match Memories.” by Dr. IVidcvin.