Unfair Umpiring

An umpire is the only single person who, alone can make or ruin a game of cricket. If he makes it, your average cricketer takes the fact for granted. If he ruins it, your cricketer grumbles, forgetting that, for far too long, cricketers have paid too little attention to the umpiring of their matches.The recruitment of umpires, especially at lower club level, is often left to chance and the standard of umpiring can thereby be unacceptably low. Apart from the familiar sight of members of the batting side joylessly serving half-an hour stints, one might find cricketers unfit through injury, social members with little to commend them save a wish to oblige, casual spectators pressed into service for the afternoon and willing enthusiasts, uninformed and untaught, entertaining themselves without giving the players much satisfaction. Retired players ostensibly the most likely potential umpires, frequently makes themselves available but although their experience provides invaluable background, the finer points of an exciting are apt to escape them, as few players have more than a passing knowledge of the Laws.

It is quite imperative to note that players learn by experience. When Gary Sobers was asked to follow-on in West Indies in a match curtailed by rain for 4 days, the leeway ought to be 150 runs and not 200 runs as in the case of 5 day game. Gary was surprised but quickly learned from the mistake. Boycot was once caught red handed for not knowing a basic rule in Australia. Hit wicket rule is mispelt and misused as well. My brother was given out HIT WICKET when he was in the process of taking a run and the bat fell on the wicket. That compelled him to learn the Laws of the Game and he became one of the first rate umpires in DDCA. It is all in the game. At times umpires forced to give decision so that an outright win can be possible to attain points in a league game. Again, if you give a star batsman out LBW, the fielding side will look at you with a strange look as you committed a murder.

An umpire should be professional in the best sense of the word "phelgmatic, unobtrusive, dignified, courteous of absolute integrity and every prepared to didschrge his duties fearlessly and impartially. INDIAN UMPIRES ARE JUST BEGINNERS AND NOT GOOD FOR EVEN LEAGUE STANDARD LEAVE ALONE OFFICIATING IN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL MATCHES. The good umpire is dedicated to the task of conducting a game so that the players get the utmost enjoyment from it. This needs the highest possible standard of umpiring and he devotes a portion of his leisure to studying, refreshing debating points of law and interprtation and improving his technique in every way seeking to ensure that he becomes a master of his craft. The finest umpires are those who appear to make the fewest mistakes. Even our best umpires can be mistaken in fact, but the possibility of errors may be reduced by acquiring a thorough knowldege of the Laws of the Game and by unremitting concentration. Without the ability to concentrate, or the self-discipline to attain concentration, all else is to no avail.

As far as Indian cricket is concerned we do not have an ICC panel umpire and we are not promoting one for sometime now. No proper selection of umpire is taking place in this country. In India no talent is required for Umpires but a GODFATHER can promote an ordinary umpire to International Standard. Our umpires does not posses proper eyesight nor proper hearing to know the faint snick. To add salt to the wound we do not have referral system in India for some odd reasons. So, the field umpire's decision is final. In the Jaipur one day International six decisions were dubious. The field umpires Tarapore and Saheba did not deserve another chance and Hazare was pathetic in decision making inspite of making use of the third eye. Most of the umpires are drunkards and hence sighting the ball early in the morning or during a night gameis a difficult proposition for them with hang over and wrong decisions are likely to be handed over to the touring teams in future also. Some of the Indian umpires are not worried about even wides and no balls and the move cut a sorry figure in the standard of our umpires. Narrow margin of victory achieved is due to ignorance of laws of the game and its application by our umpires and not because of extraordinary bowling, batting and fielding ability of Team India. Our umpires lack physical fitness and their movements are restricted. In a close encounter, the umpire ought to have gone to the boundary line and verify the truth of Tendulkar's fine fielding on the boundary line. We simply favor the home team for monetary benefit and for getting more chance. BCCI is not worried because such decisions are going in favor of India all the time.
TO ERR IS HUMAN BUT ERRING ALWAYS IS JUST FAVORITISM. We feel sorry for South African side and other touring teams coming to India. When they land in the Airport we apply Thilak and Garland each member of the touring team and thereafter we hand over dubious decisions so that the home team can win by hook or crook. It is indeed shame for the four Indian unfair umpire Hazare, Saheba, Tarapore and Harharan. Let them go to England and do some second XI county matches to gain experience and then do Ranji level. Till that time we can seek the assistance of ICC Panel umpires for all the home matches. Sriniwas Venkatraghavan should be in charge of Umpire's Committee and not a bureaucrat to handle such a sensitive issue. That is my clarion call.