Cricket Umpiring – A Synopsis

Ever since human race was created there was felt a need for mediation in disputes and decisions. For this a person of good repute, sound knowledge and shrewd decision making ability is selected. Sport is no different. Such mediator has authority to make decisions about play in many sports. There are different titles for these officials in different sports like referee, umpire, linesman or judge. According to the Laws of Cricket, an umpire (from the Old French nompere meaning not equal or impartial) is a person who controls a cricket match and makes sure it is played according to the laws of the game .He should not be confused with the referee who is a recent innovation in cricket for implementing players’ code of conduct according to International Cricket Council (ICC) guidelines.

Since 2002, the ICC has two panels of umpires: namely the Elite Panel of Umpires (two of which are, in theory, appointed to each Test Match) and the larger International Panel of Umpires. The ICC appoints a match referee from its Elite Panel of Referees to adjudicate Test matches and One Day Internationals.

Umpire in cricket has special place in the game as many vital decisions which can change the result of the match rest on his verdicts. We have seen careers ruined or made by one single decision. Matches or even series have been turned on their heads because of one umpiring error. Cricket world has seen many great umpires over the years. From Harold "Dickie" Bird to Simon Taufel and David Shepherd to Aleem Dar we have witnessed excellent examples of genuine professionalism and great human attributes. They have earned name not only for themselves but have lifted the game of cricket itself. They have set high standards for others to meet. Among others Brian Aldridge, Charlie Elliott, Steve Dunne, Steve Bucknor, Ian Robinson, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, K.T. Francis, Rudi Koertzen, Asad Rauf and Ian Gould have commanded respect from players and fans alike. We should not overlook the fact that umpires are also humans. They can make mistakes, get tired or get out of form like us. They should not be judged through one odd decision or a moment of indolence. An umpire has a career which should be evaluated like a player’s career. But one expects them to be above average as a bench mark.

Umpiring was never an easy job but it has become even tougher now with the advent of technology in the game. We can divide the modern (post-war) umpiring into two eras; Pre-technology and post-technology. In the first era umpires were not scrutinized by the public as television coverage was mediocre and cameras used to show only a few angles. Often they were let-off the attention of the public despite being wrong on the excuse that umpire was in better position in the middle to judge and give the decision. Players and captains frequently objected to the decisions and more so to the decisions made by the opposite country’s umpire. Hence we on number of occasions saw ugly confrontations on the field between players and umpires. We saw a West-Indian player kicking the umpire while in his bowling stride in New Zealand. Gavaskar almost left the field in protest when he was adjudged LBW in Australia. There were ugly scenes in Sri Lanka when Pakistan toured. Once in a match players stopped to appeal in protest. Mike Gatting was given LBW even before the bowler appealed in 1987-88 tour to Pakistan. Giving Gavaskar out in India or Miandad in Pakistan was considered a national crime. Historic series between Pakistan and West Indies in 1988 was marred by bad umpiring to the extent that bitter memories still haunt many who wanted a fair result. Such scenes were unworthy of the gentleman’s game. This situation was not acceptable to those who loved the game and wanted to safeguard the game’s integrity. Imran Khan the lion of cricket proposed the idea of neutral umpires which was immediately laughed-off by the traditionalists and conservatives. But Khan did not back down. He himself asked the BCCP (Board for Control of Cricket in Pakistan) to invite neutral umpires from India during the series with West-Indies in 1986-87. In this way he showed and proved the practicability and efficacy of the idea. As Wisden reports, “By way of experiment, neutral umpires stood in the Test series, V. K. Ramaswamy and P. D. Reporter of India officiating in the Second and Third matches. The Pakistan authorities were to be congratulated on this decision for, apart from an altercation between Marshall and umpire Reporter in Karachi, there was a welcome absence of bickering over decisions.”

Then came the technology revolution. This made the umpires become more careful and more focused to their job. Number of quality cameras, super slow-mo, hawk-eye, snickometer, pitch-map, giant screens and lately UDRS (Umpires Decision Review System) have brought a radical change in the standard of umpiring. Now the umpires are always on their toes because their decisions come immediately under the scrutiny of the spectators, referee, players and the commentators. This has resulted in sorting out good from the mediocre and has led to distinctly improved standard of umpiring. ICC has therefore introduced the Elite Panel of Umpires based on the data received from officials after each match. Currently the introduction of UDRS is generating lively debate in cricket circles. Some boards have started using it enthusiastically while others still have their doubts. Some purists like Dickie Bird are against this innovation. He says, “The only man who can give LBWs is the on-field umpire not the computer as it cannot tell the state of the pitch, how much the ball bounced, how much it seamed, how much it swung in the air.” But others like David Shepherd, Aleem Dar and Simon Taufel believe that technology is the answer to all problems and it is here to stay. The technology is in constant review and improvement and we might see a day when umpires become puppets or are replaced by robots altogether.

Like many good things Dickie Bird's arm-stretch and Yorkshire accent will never be forgotten. Similarly David Shepherd’s Nelsen dance is eternally engraved in the memories of all cricket lovers. The tranquility with which Simon Taufel gives his decisions and the invigorating smile on Aleem Dar’s face even in tough situations will continue to subsist in the logbook of cricket history for ever.