The Umpire's Troubles.

NZ Truth, Issue 129, 7 December 1907, Page 3

The Umpire's Troubles.

•It is astonishing .how man" postmortems are held ' on the unfortunate individual m the white coat ; it's a wonder he , hasn't decomposed long ago, so long is, his reputation mortified. Poor' arbitrator, from' players and public alike, always more lacks than ha'pence, no ha'pence at all now-a--vefc few sportsmanlike enough :to do him reverence. j. Still withal, he is an official who cannot be done without, transcendiu« m importance even a Trumper or ; a Hutchiiurs, or a Williams, or a ; Tucker, m his effect upon the fortunes of the What benefit is it to him to give a wrong decision ? For his own good name he will endeavor to avoid mistakes, and so long as he be proven competent and impartial, the aggrieved might well, m chastened spirit, take their gruel kind]- and not disparage the best abused and least appreciated functionary m the sport. The 'infallible man has not yet 'breathed the breath of life. There-, fon-e, play up boys, and look pleasant. , m these times of pay-your-own-ex-jpenses umpires, cricketers are fortunate indeed to bo able to obtain the services of so many disinterested enthusiasts, whose only? incentive is pure love of the game, and whose reward is NIL. The primitive appliances utilised by caretaker Twist for watering the Basin Reserve 'pitches finds disfavor with Mr Johnny Banks, who, m former years, was an active supporter of the summer pastime. Johnny has now gladdened the heart of secretary Vance by informing that bustling official of the Cricket Association that ihis firm is prepared to make a present to the Association of a lawn sprayer, which will throw water on a s&ace of GOft. m diameter. Meedless to Say, secretary Vance has jaomed at the generous offer. I Arthur Sims, ex-Canterbury" .and I New Zealand rep., occupies a prominent place m the averages of the London County Club for the past season. He scored 793 runs, .including three centuries (141, 130, and 124). his average being 5G.64. W. C Graceis record for the season was 854 runs, average 47.44, and 89 i wickets at a cost of 13.04 runs each.-