Embedded Files
On this page we reprint extracts from Nompere.
The Nompere magazine was edited for many years by Malcolm Ripley who rounded up a host of local and more distantly based colleagues to supply him with items for publication.
The magazine was eagerly awaited by its readers and contained pen pictures of umpires and challenging articles on the skills of umpiring as well as amusing anecdotes of life in the white coat. Sadly the magazine is no longer published (through no fault of the above named editor).
The cover of the first NOMPERE, April 1995.
1 Lost Grounds
2 International Cricketers of East Yorkshire
3 Have you heard?
4 Food for Thought
5 Umpires and Groundsmen
6 Scenes from the past
7 How times change
8 Timed Out
9 New Umpires
10 Reflections from umpires and others
Disappearing Grounds
I well remember playing at Brantingham with the pitch in the middle of the farmer’s field, many a time we arrived to see the cows being ushered away from the square before the stumps were pitched. The pitch was well prepared whereas the outfield remained rather rough from the square’s edge with longer grass prevailing.
All of us rather more ‘coached’ batsmen did not manage to hit many boundaries with our pristine drives through the longer grass, even the lofted shots progressed little until they reached a shorter region where the cows had either laid or munched!
But a boundary was marked in those far off days, using an old mower to cut a circle in the long grass. Most of my runs resulted from singles with the occasional two!
Nevertheless, it was a lovely ground on which to play, we had many good matches there!
Another similar pitch in a field was at Arram near Beverley, Arram used to be well known for the local delicacy of their Butcher’s ‘Bangers’ – Sausages!
The actual pitch was difficult to see from the entrance gate, but a ‘local’ duly pointed us in the right direction, the cut strip being just visible on the undulating field.
Changing facilities were certainly novel, a barn, with nails driven into the ageing woodwork to accommodate our gear!
Similar batting conditions resulted in our side being well beaten, the home lads having far more idea of the how to perform utilising their own midden.
A far better ground used to be at Cherry Burton, where I played as a Schoolboy for my father’s team. When doing the Scoring duties, always took along my playing gear hoping someone wouldn’t turn up, as on this occasion.
Even though a village team, the ground was always well looked after and correctly marked out, as it was rumoured it was owned by the local Squire. This gentleman also played so everything had to certainly be right!
Jeff Jackson.
International Cricketers of East Yorkshire
By
Michael G Free
Michael G Free
Over sixty cricketers who were born or lived in East Yorkshire have represented the Yorkshire at first class level. Of these, five went on to play test cricket for England. To some of you some of the names we will encounter will be familiar and may evince memories. You may have played with or against some of the cricketers named below or you may know their fathers or sons. To many the names will belong only to the record books and days gone by.
John T Brown of Driffield
Seven local men have represented England at test level, the most successful being John Thomas Brown of Driffield who toured Australia in 1894 –95. Brown, sadly, died at the age of thirty-five from ‘congestion of the brain, heart failure and asthma’ but he played one of the greatest test innings of all time when, in 1895, he took 140 off a formidable Australian attack. He was also half of that wonderful opening pairing of Brown and Tunnicliffe that lashed Derbyshire for 554 at Chesterfield in 1898.
Known to all as JT and to his friends as Jack, Brown came from Driffield, living at the White Horse public house as a child and first appearing for the town’s cricket club at the tender age of twelve. Two years later he headed both the batting and bowling averages for his home town club. In 1888 and 1889 he played for Perth and a year later he become a regular player in the Yorkshire team but the next two years of his career were dogged by ill-health, though he managed to turn out, as a successful professional, for Brighouse in 1892. He was also a bowler of leg breaks of sufficient subtlety to earn himself almost two hundred wickets, including a hat-trick against Derbyshire.
His excellent form in the 1894 season led to him being selected for the tour to Australia, captained by Stoddart, where he enjoyed conspicuous success culminating in that marvellous test innings which won the game, and the series, for his team. Brown and Albert Ward (a renegade Yorkshire man who played for Lancashire) raised 210 for the third wicket of which Brown scored 140. In that innings his first fifty took only twenty-eight minutes, and his hundred only 95 minutes. Both were test records at that time. It was his only test century in eight tests in which he scored 470 runs at an average of 36.15.
Brown was awarded a benefit in 1901 and his benefit match attracted 40,000 people earning him £2,282 – a record for Yorkshire. In his first class career Brown scored 17,920 runs and took 194 wickets and 230 catches. His fielding was excellent, especially at cover point.
Frank Mitchell of Market Weighton
Frank Mitchell was born in Market Weighton in 1872 and is one of a very small number of cricketers to have represented two countries at test level. He played two tests for England in 1899 and three tests for South Africa in 1912, though his record was somewhat modest. Mitchell is reputed to have been one of the finest sportsmen of his era. As well as cricket he also found time to represent Cambridge, Blackheath, Sussex and England at rugby and Sussex at soccer. He was also a useful athlete and wrote the Badminton book on Rugby Football
Mitchell only played for Yorkshire for two seasons. He was described as a brilliant batsman, his off driving being a particular strength and a medium fast bowler. He recorded a highest score of 194 against Leicestershire. In one golden spell in 1899 he hit seven scores of over fifty in twelve days and in 1902 recorded successive innings of 100, 100, 4*, 106*, 12, 162 and 52.
After serving in the Boer War he returned to South Africa, in an administrative role, where he played for Transvaal but returned to serve as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the First World War in a West Riding regiment.
Whist at Cambridge he was unwittingly responsible in changing the laws of cricket. At that time (1896) it was compulsory to follow on if more than 120 runs behind on first innings. For some reason Mitchell wanted Oxford to bat last and, as captain of Cambridge, Mitchell instructed his bowlers to concede extras to avoid having to enforce Oxford to follow on. Mitchell was hoist by his own petard as Oxford scored 330-6 to win the game. But the Cambridge captain’s tactics created fury at Lord’s and his actions were instrumental in bringing about a change in the law on follow on some three years later.
Frank Mitchell died at Blackheath in 1935.
Jimmy Binks of Hull
The most familiar name among those East Yorkshiremen to have represented England is probably that of Jimmy Binks. He was an important player in the marvellous Yorkshire team that won the County Championship seven times between 1959 and 1968 and twice won the Gillette cup in 1965 and 1969.
Binks was one of the finest wicket keepers of all time, and statistically Yorkshire’s second best after David Hunter. He was unfortunate to have been selected only twice for tests, both against India in 1964 making fifty on his debut and taking eight catches. However, among Binks’ contemporaries were the likes of John Murray and Keith Andrew not to mention the less talented Jim Parks, whose batting gained him selection over these more talented ‘keepers. England’s loss was undoubtedly Yorkshire’s gain. Binks played a record 412 consecutive matches for his county, from his debut against Nottinghamshire in 1955 to his retirement in 1969, and in 1960 claimed 107 victims, another county record. His wicket keeping was elegant and classy and his taking of the ball so sure that he suffered only one injury in his career - a broken finger in 1966- which he did not allow to keep him out of the team. So sure and acute was his skill that he could stand up to bowlers of the pace of Platt and Nicholson regularly, and even, on occasions, Trueman.
Jimmy Binks was also a capable batsman through he never recorded a century, his top score being 95 against Middlesex at Lord’s in 1964. In 502 matches he scored 6,910 runs and claimed 895 catches and 176 stumpings.
Having begun his career with Hull C C he returned to the city to work for Fenner before settling in the United States.
Joseph Hunter
Joseph Hunter was eldest of five brothers from Scarborough, one of whom was David Hunter who also kept wicket for Yorkshire. Three of the brothers were wicket keepers (the third being William, who never played first class cricket) and all played for Scarborough. Joseph played 143 matches for Yorkshire, making his debut in 1878 against Lancashire at Old Trafford. He also represented England in five tests against Australia in 1884 – 85.
When injury forced Joseph to drop out of the Yorkshire side in 1888 his place was taken, the following season, by his brother David, who had a long and very successful career but never played for England. Joseph Hunter scored 1,330 runs and took 234 catches and 122 stumpings in his career. In tests he scored 93 runs at 18.60, took eight catches and made three stumpings. Sadly he died, in Rotherham, at the early age of 36.
Yes, I know Scarborough is technically in North Yorkshire or the old North Riding but it is on the east coast.
Paul Gibb
Paul Gibb was born in the small village of Brandsby just to the north of York in 1913 and is the third wicket keeper in our list to have played test cricket for England. A reliable, if unspectacular, amateur opening batsman he also played for Cambridge University (scoring a double hundred against Free Foresters) and Essex. The bespectacled Gibb had a remarkable debut for Yorkshire scoring 157* and, coming in at 110 – 5, assisting Herbert Sutcliffe to add 178 for the sixth wicket against Nottinghamshire.
In eight tests for England, either side of the war, Gibb scored 581 runs (at 44.69) including two centuries and was briefly the first choice wicket keeper until Godfrey Evans took over after just one test on the tour to Australia in 1946 - 47. On his test debut he hit 93 and 106. His other test century came in the timeless test when he scored 120, taking 451 minutes to do so and adding 280 with Bill Edrich.
In 1951 Gibb became a professional, the first former Cambridge blue to do so, and joined Essex performing creditably for several season. When he retired as a player he spent ten seasons as a first class umpire from 1957; again being the first Cambridge blue to become a professional umpire. His highest score for Essex was 141 against Kent in a partnership of 343. After spending time coaching in South Africa Gibb turned to bus driving and died after collapsing at Guilford bus station in 1977.
Neil Mallender
Neil Mallender is added to this selection though he did not play for Yorkshire (many would see that as a problem for the YCCC not the player). He was born in the West Riding at Kirk Sandall but spent most of his childhood and youth in the East Riding attending Beverley Grammar School.
Mallender was a talented all rounder playing with Northamptonshire, Somerset and Otago, which team he captained for two seasons, and represented England twice against Pakistan in 1995 scoring 8 runs and taking ten wickets including 5-50 on his debut at Headingley. Like Paul Gibb, Mallender went on to become a first class umpire and has managed to make his mark on the game as an international umpire having umpired over twenty one day internationals and one test. In 345 matches Mallender scored 4,709 runs (at 17.18), with one century (100* for Otago against Central Districts) and took a respectable 937 wickets at an average of 26.31.
After completing his playing career Neil became a highly respected county and international umpire.
HAVE YOU HEARD THESE?…………..from Ken Featherston…..
Fred’s wife snuggled up to him in bed and whispered, “Remember the day you proposed to me?” My word you were bold then!” “No way” retorted Fred, “I was caught!”
During a village match, the home supporters continuously heckled the poor umpire. He lost his patience after a while and left the field, proceeding to sit down in a deck chair among the home fans. “What’s going on?” he was asked. “It seems as though you all get the best view from here!” he answered.
The Club’s best batsman was on the ‘phone to his skipper explaining why he couldn’t play the next day. “No I can’t let you off the game” said the captain who was made of stern stuff. “If I did, then I would have to do the same for every player whose wife dies!”
After a series of dodgy decisions from one of the umpires, the fielding skipper approached him to say,” If I called you a stupid old goat that didn’t know the first thing about the Laws of the game, what would you do?” “I would report you and you would probably be fined” came the reply. “What if I didn’t say anything but just thought it?” “Well, nothing could be done about that”, said the umpire. “OK, said the captain, “then we’ll just leave it there, eh?”
Ned was the Club’s leading wicket-taker, but was rather worried when he learned that his father-in-law was to umpire that day’s match – they didn’t get on!
Ned hurled down the first ball at terrific pace and caught the batsman plumb LBW. “Owszat” he yelled. “Not Out,” said father-in-law. The second ball came down the track like a missile, snicked the edge of the bat and was caught by the ‘keeper. “Ow-ezee” roared our Ned. “Not Out,” came the answer.
By this time our hero was beside himself. The third delivery screamed down, broke the middle peg in half, sending bails and the remaining stumps flying in all directions. “Nearly bloody got ‘im that time didn’t we?” said the young paceman.
The Yorkshire captain said to the veteran fielder, “Don’t stand too CLOSE to the bat OLD LOVE you are not as SHARPE as you used to be and if you drop a catch the crowd will give you the BIRD and the Committee could BOYCOTT you for our next game and the BARBER will PLATT your hair in the WOOD or APPLEYARD down in HAMPSHIRE. Malcolm Parkes
FOOD FOR THOUGHT, FOR MEN IN THE WHITE COAT……..
When I am right no one remembers, but when I am wrong no one forgets…..
For all who were playing and watching there was nothing in mind beyond the next ball, the challenge of the moment, the absorption of a good naturated contest. Time stood still in a distillation of delight. J M Kilburn
A mouse that is crazy for cricket, is commonly known as a bat. The umpire is really a vampire, bet you didn’t know that!
Which one of our umpires has a Café on the York road named after him – ‘Trigger’s’ and also possesses a Purse?
Just to be on the safe side, should not both umpires and captains agree before the ‘toss’ that if any ball, in play, during a game hits a bird, a spectator comes onto the field and proceeds to field the ball, or an animal (dog) picks up the ball. In these unlikely situations should it be agreed that a ‘boundary four’ be awarded for these incidents??.........
Who is the local umpire who was heard to say, “I used to be a leg spinner like ‘SHAUN’ Warne?......
Why are the two umpires the only people on the field who are not going to get grass stains on their knees, but are the only ones allowed to wear dark coloured trousers?......
Anyone know or heard of the cricket term ‘waiden’ and what it means?
Life is a Game but Cricket is serious!...
Umpires and Groundsmen
Umpires and Groundsmen
By Ted Stamford
We as umpires feel we sometimes receive unwarranted criticism; well, spare a thought for the groundsmen. If they prepare a flat track with no deviation off the pitch by seam or spin the bowlers complain, if on the other hand the ball seams and spins more than is the norm then batsmen are the ones to complain. The poor devils cannot win.
There is a lot of satisfaction when after umpiring you know you have done a good job and maybe receive the odd “Well done” or “Thank you”. The groundsman when maybe 500 runs have been scored for 18 or 19 wickets with an exciting win in the last over, he knows he has also done a good job. The two roles are similar in many ways. The knowledge of the Laws of Cricket equates to the art of pitch preparation and the criticism and praise are all part of the game of cricket. (If we accept praise then we should also accept constructive criticism).
From the full time groundsmen like Phil Skelton at Driffield CC to the part time groundsmen like me at South Holderness CC, we all have to prepare a pitch that is safe. Young cricketers especially can be put off playing for ever by a ball rearing off a length and causing injury. Poor pitches are no good to anyone as they encourage mediocre bowlers who take wickets with balls that keep low or jump off a length, or for batsmen who see that the only way to score runs is to hit across the line and hope for the best. (We part time groundsmen owe the likes of Phil Skelton a great debt as they set us a standard we can try to emulate).
But cricket in general owes the unsung heroes, the umpires and groundsmen, a huge debt. There would not be a game of cricket without us.
HOW TIMES CHANGE
Looking back over the last 25/30 years, something of the order of 30 odd local Clubs have folded. The list reads – Henry Booth CC, BP Chemicals, BR North, Coal Exporters, City Engineers, Corporation Transport Engineers, Halsham, Bishop Burton, Haltemprice, Hull Brewery, Hull Co-op, Hull Fire Brigade, Hull Nalgo, Fruit Trades, Hull Town CC- amalgamated with Hull YPI, Hull Railway Clerks, Hull Rovers, Withernsea, Hull Telephones, Inland Revenue, Aldbrough, Kennings, National Dock Labour Board, Beverley Amateurs, Newland Parish Church, Needlers, Norman Milners, NE Gas Board, Keyingham, Priestmans, Ranks, Reckitts,
RAF Leconfield, Rose Down & Thompson, Ross Group, Smith & Nephew, Steel Radiators, Waterworks, YEB.
Sad but true, can you think of others? Once these Clubs fold, it is extremely unlikely that they will reform, thus the number playing cricket continues to decrease, to the determent of our noble game.......... We can all but hope that the regaining of the Ashes, the resulting interest and enthusiasm it has apparently produced has fired the imagination of badly needed youngsters to come into cricket to aid its future and become involved.
I make no excuses in blaming a series of Governments and Local Authorities for the great lack of Sport played generally, when children are receptive and willing to learn,
keeping fit and enjoying team work. Countless school sports fields have been built on, in the so called name of ‘progress’ thus many teenagers have been deprived of our long established national sports football and cricket and the resultant camaraderie.
I fully realise that readers may argue that there exists currently a fuller range of other – sporting? – interests, coupled with their parents having more money, meaning that times change! I could not disagree with that in certain respects!
Even though many enjoy the game of cricket, by its very nature, it occupies some 5 to 6 hours compared to other sports. I am of the view that, youngsters particularly, nowadays want to fit more in than playing for half a day in our summer game.
As always, let me have your views for publication – anonymous if you wish.
Malcolm
SCENES FROM THE PAST
SCENES FROM THE PAST
Current Umpire Peter Fox reminisces
Some 39 years ago, when working at Imperial Typewriters on Hedon Road, I got to know a young Gwilym Lloyd (now of Radio Humberside Sports fame). The subject eventually turned to cricket and I found out he played for Hull Town and then Hull Zingari CC. His invitation to the nets at the Circle turned me into a regular for Hull An Xl.
In those distant days, I bowled left arm over, medium pace and am not bragging when I say I did very well to be eventually promoted to their second team in the old East Yorkshire Cup Competition. It was hard going at first, but I began to enjoy it and take it in my stride. I Progressed to their first eleven in the Yorkshire League.
My great season arrived when I pipped that well respected bowler Tom McLochlan for the League Bowling prize, it turned out, luckily for me, that this enabled me to play on every Yorkshire cricket ground bar Middlesbrough, with Mike Page, who went on to play for Derbyshire CC, as our skipper.
After eight years at the Circle, a broken bone in my foot, sadly put paid to my fast bowling days, and a move to join Hessle CC, who had the very likeable Cec Nunns as their Chairman.
It was at Livingstone Road, a change of style came – as a slow left arm leg spinner under the captaincy of Terry Johnson. Seven years elapsed with our strong team taking the Amateur League Division One title twice and runners-up once, but being beaten in the Seymour Cup Final by BR North.
A fantastic rapport was founded with wicket-keeper Denis Eggleton but it was after these successful years, a new challenge was needed!
BR North in the Humber Don League beckoned. To my delight in that first summer, and never to be forgotten of course, qualified for the League bowling averages, as Dave Massham and I amassed in excess of 70 wickets between us, wrecking a number of opponents batting line up in the process!
Very sadly, things then deteriorated, as British Rail sold part of our playing area to a Nursing Home, and together with a number of players leaving, this heralded the club folding, to join many others in a similar situation.
Age was catching up on me, but had a few seasons with Wrigglesworth Fruit Trades and Reckitts. The former side enabled me in my twilight years to enjoy my swan song, as we twice qualified for the League play-off whilst coming up against some fine cricketers!
At the ripe age of 53, a broken leg playing for Roos at Patrington – and a long and painful Ambulance journey to Hull Royal as a result – signalled the end of a very enjoyable career.
Leg healed, the ‘white coat’ beckoned, taking the ACU&S exams at GL6, GL5 and GL4. Another career, but found to be satisfying and enjoyable, but unfortunately the local standard of cricket has fallen alarmingly since I played!
On reflection, A Yorkshire League incident springs to mind – one season at Barnsley, Arnie Sidebottom played against us after Geoff Boycott had to pull out very late, a great pity I was thus denied the chance of a bowl at the famous man! I also met a certain HD Bird that particular day!
During the match, Arnie was bowling to one of the four youngsters in out team, he could not get the bat on the ball at all, for the bowler to quip, “If I bowled tha’ a piano you would not be able to play bloody thing!” Dickie was none too chuffed at this remark, making Arnie apologise to the teenager at the conclusion of play!
Long serving umpire and former Blackburn’s player Pete Fowler gets you thinking...
I once stood in a match where Law 31 -Timed Out - came into play, thus reported as a bizarre incident in the local newspaper.
It was one of those games that you knew from the atmosphere right at the start that it was going to be one of those days. The match was expected to be a tight game between the home team in 4th place against league leaders and it was to be scheduled to start early for the time of year.
From our dressing room, we could hear the home team discussing tactics whereby the captain was being advised to bat first if he won the toss, because several members of the visiting team would be arriving late. The toss went in favour of the home team captain who duly elected to bat first. We, umpires were informed by the visiting captain that they had a couple of players that were stuck in traffic and may be late.
The weather was glorious, sunny and very hot, short sleeve shirts were the order of the day with additional drinks breaks requested. The visiting team took t the field with their 11 named players and the game commenced 5 minutes late. The home team lost their openers cheaply but their third wicket batsmen slowly got on top. At this time things began to wrong for the fielding side.
Already carrying one fielder with an injured hand, they then had to cope with a second, who in attempting to make a catch in the covers damaged a finger (it was later diagnosed as broken in two places!)
Having no subs and not expecting one from the opposition, he was duly dispatched to long off / third man with an ice pack for comfort With a now rearranged defensive field the third wicket partnership flourished as the bowlers flagged in the heat.
The additional drinks did not materialise and the quality of the fielding deteriorated as the home team batsmen took advantage, the 3rd wicket putting on over 90 and the No3 making a century. Numerous bowling and field changes had had its affect and by the beginning of the 48th over we had been on the field for 3hr 15min.
In chase for runs the batting side had reached 224 when on the penultimate ball of the match the 8th wicket fell.
One ball left and where was No 10? After a delay of over a minute he arrived on the field and slowly makes his way to the wicket where he proceeded to drop his bat, remove his gloves and proceeded to put his long flowing locks of hair into a pony tail.
His first attempt fails and he repeats the process, again taking considerable care to make sure all is gathered in. I begin to think I know what’s coming here, as I suspect much frustration coming from the fielding side who just want to get off the field, away from the heat and into the comfort of the pavilion.
“Hows That”! This comes from the Captain at deep mid wicket. “There’s one ball to go, to No10, do you really mean it?” is my response to the captain. “Yes” is the measured reply. As we both agreed that Law 31/1 had been contravened, the batsman was duly given out. Cries of derision come from the pavilion and eventually the innings was completed by a declaration with the one ball remaining.
Post innings discussions with the scorers identified a disagreement of Law 31, which had to be clarified - (timing and definition).Tea was then taken with an aggrieved muffled banter from both sides.
The home side took to the field for the second innings with what felt like an air of discontented aggression and distain to the opposition. Guess who opened the bowling, the batman given ‘Timed Out’ together with no excuses for any lack of aggression. No sooner had the innings commenced when, on the first ball of the second over, the wicket keeper had to retire with a dislocated finger, more time lost, more frustration! The second innings followed in similar lines to the first, where a third wicket partnership brought the required target in range, however, after its demise this could not be maintained and they batted out for a draw at 175 for 7.
As was to be expected, after the game “The Decision” was the main topic of conversation, i.e. was it within the Spirit of the Game to appeal? Was it within the Spirit of the Game for the No10 batsman to do what he did? No doubt about it, there was gamesmanship going on by both teams.
On reflection, it was a good day’s cricket marred by one incident. This begs me to ask the question – should we, as umpires, considering the state of the game have NOT upheld the decision, and have said “Not Out ? - let’s get on with the game”.
(Law 43 common sense).
Many umpires with much more experience than me, may have said "What’s a few seconds more, turn it down", with only the one ball left. The aggravation would have been prevented and we all would have enjoyed a friendlier atmosphere in the second innings.
Peter's dilemna in this situation highlights one of the problems of the game of cricket. In terms of cricket law the two umpires had no alternative but to give the batsman out but in terms of the sportsmanship exhibited on the field of play where was it? Surely the captain of the fielding side could have withdrawn the appeal. Is the word cricket still to be regarded as the very definition of fair play/ Does the world still understand the phrase, "It's not cricket!"
REFLECTIONS ON A FIRST SEASON…
What are my thoughts on completing my first season in the white coat? It was without doubt a thoroughly enjoyable experience with a greater number of highs than lows. My season started at Blackburn’s in Brough and ended at Patrington. What were the abiding memories?
Being accused of taking the Mickey (not the word actually used!) at Airmyn as play continued in a hail storm. Apparently it’s cold when it warm at this outpost as I only enjoyed the cooler climate on my three visits there.
Was I fortunate in that I stood with some really genuine colleagues who were happy to assist a ‘rookie’ without being patronising and I learned a lot from them! I also learned a lot when standing on my own.
The only real low was one particular captain who having been given out caught bat/pad proceeded to complain about the decision as he walked around the boundary of the small ground. Apparently this is not unusual with this particular club.
The high spot for me was outside of the League when I stood at Hymers College when they played the MCC team my colleague being former Test and first class umpire Don Oslear who was really good to talk to and who advised me that really all an umpire needed to be able to do was count to six and apply common sense. He was a true gentleman and he shared his fruit pastilles!
How anyone can pick up a cricket ball and say it is undersize beats me but he did and it was his ball gauge that proved it.
I also met some old friends (one of whom I ‘no balled’ five times in one over!) and hopefully made a few new ones whilst being paid a few compliments, the best of which was when I was asked when I’d moved to this area as this particular team had not seen me before. When I explained this was my first season he said he thought I had been doing the job for a while. I don’t suppose you hear the bad bits being said about you!
I am also thankful for the AA route finder, which allowed me to find some of the grounds, which I hadn’t previously visited, without too much trouble.
All told thoroughly enjoyed my first season and on only one occasion did I not have a ball bowled and only had to abandon a game after we had started, unfortunately the common denominator between the two was Hutton Cranswick and their view of me and the weather is now somewhat jaundiced, they were away both times. Hutton Cranswick to Airmyn (there they go again) is quite a trek to be washed out.
Looking forward to the Training course again and next season, I firmly believe that with a summer’s experience behind me I will get more out of Roger and Mike’s tuition this time.
A parting thought – someone said to me that it was good to see some youngsters taking up umpiring, as I am in my mid fifties what does that say for some of my colleagues!?
Derek Chadburn.
REFLECTIONS…
Having been an Umpire for 17 seasons, people tell me that things are changing in the game, but looking back are they really?
I can remember when we had slow over rates, 'talking' or was it encouraging your bowlers after each delivery!
Some would say distracting the batsman prior to the next ball especially by close in fielders or the 'keeper. All done so that neither umpire can really hear - all very subtle!
Surely that represents current society where many people these days do not show respect for even themselves or any authority.
As umpires, it is our DUTY to gain that respect by keeping up to date with all the current law changes, showing calmness in the face of the enemy and making our decisions to show that we too have been there, done it, got the video!
Know all the tricks, but thanks to our excellent Training facilities, are confident in making the correct answers in response to anything we are asked to do.
Or course we make mistakes, who doesn't? But the better umpire makes the least mistakes.
We now have to be good at 'man management'! What does that mean?
It means we have to be good at handling people and coping with the situations that occur from time to time.
All that does not mean standing all day stony faced on the field but to also enjoy what you are doing, and even have a bit of fun in the game when the situation warrants it!
A little fun can soon take the tension out of things particularly if things are getting a bit too nasty!
It helps to get to know the players you are dealing with, so you can be prepared to act quickly if situations start to develop. Always work closely with your colleague and help him if he has any problems, especially if he is a new umpire or new to your league, where he will surely encounter ‘pressure’ to see what he is made of and how he can handle it!
The idea of ‘red cards’ makes me laugh, because if it ever gets to that it means that you both have ‘lost it’ somewhere down the line, reflecting very badly on your ability to control things!
If you were ever in that situation that you have no alternative that someone had to be ‘reported’ make sure that you are both in agreement, what to say at any hearing, because if you cant back each other up, your case could fall very flat.
On reflection, perhaps things have not changed that much other than the fact that we are getting older, perhaps more grumpier or just don’t like things that were the norm when we were playing and we can’t simply do it any more so we don’t like others doing it!
Ian Emmott, ACU&S Treasurer, Sept 1999.
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