These musings from the Training and Selection Committees will be issued on an ad hoc basis to highlight issues that we believe are worthy to bring to everyone’s attention and to generate discussion.

Rounds 1, 2 and 3 have come and gone and we are generally very happy with how everyone has applied themselves. Regardless of this, a few issues have arisen which we feel need to be addressed.

Playing Conditions.

Simon Taufel, arguably the best cricket umpire Australia has ever produced was addressing a monthly meeting of the NSWCU&SA many years ago, when someone had a whinge about how many different variations of the game (pre T20) that they had to umpire.

Simon, held up his hand and proceeded to tell the umpires that they had it easy and that as an elite level umpire he had to learn and know so many more Playing Conditions and each was far more complex than grade level. We stopped complaining

Yes, we know we got them late and yes, they are complicated, so to help understand this season’s Playing Conditions, members might find it easier to break them down by Part into a folder by using dividers or flags.

They are divided into:

• Part A – Administrative Matters – Worth a read for general knowledge
• Part B – Competition General Playing Conditions – Worth a good read to understand common Playing Conditions for all forms of the game
• Part C – Two Day Playing Conditions
• Part D – One Day Playing Conditions (All grades)
• Part E – The Over 40’s & Over 50’s Competition

This allows for easy reading and understanding of how each game is to be played. If members find it advantageous, they can then place the distributed summaries at the start of Parts C, D and E. If you are more enthused, write a precis of the Playing Conditions on an Index Card which can be taken out onto the ground and referred to as appropriate.

On a serious note, please have a good read of the Playing Conditions and if you have any doubts, give the Training Committee a call to clarify. As Simon Taufel (yes, I admire him greatly) also says; umpiring is 99% game management and 1% knowing the Laws and Playing Conditions. Of course, you have to know these 1%, 100%

Fast short pitched balls

For this season, in all formats, (less Over 40’s & Over 50’s) a bowler is allowed two fast short pitched balls per over. The definition of a short-pitched ball is one that passes or would have passed over the batter’s shoulder but below the top of their head when standing upright in their normal guard position.

So, what does this all mean?

• The line of the shoulder and top of head is to be drawn as if the batter is standing upright, i.e., not crouched ready to face the ball.
• What is normal? It is suggested that it is where the batter is taking guard before the ball is bowled. This may move during the over, so just keep an eye open for it.
• If the batter moves before receiving the ball, the point of decision remains where their normal guard position is. This means that the mere act of moving forward or backwards before receiving the ball is not to be taken into account, though it does make it more difficult to judge the position where the ball would have passed.
• It is possible that a front foot pull could still be counted as one of the two allowed fast short pitched balls (or a no ball if a third one in the over) if the umpire judges that by the time it would have passed the batter standing upright in their normal guard position it would have been over the shoulder.

These same considerations apply if the ball passes over the head of the batter. It is still judged at the point of the batter standing upright in their normal guard position. Any fast short pitched ball that passes or would have passed over the head is to be called a no ball and if applicable is to be considered as one of the two permitted per over.

Penalty rates – umpire to consider all circumstances of game including time wasting by batting side

For both Two-Day matches One-Day matches, the following Playing Conditions apply:

• Uninterrupted matches
• If either team fails to bowl their required number of overs in the allocated time, then six penalty runs are awarded to the other side, i.e., if the side bowling first is threeovers short at the end of scheduled play, they are penalised 18 runs. BUT the Playing Conditions state that the Umpires must take into account the circumstances of the match and can use their discretion on how many penalty runs are to be awarded.
• What does this mean? We have heard of batting sides being very slow to face bowlers, talking between overs etc. This may be an example where the Umpire uses their discretion and instead of awarding 18 penalty runs, only awards 12! It is expected that before this happens, the batters would have been told to hurry up on a number of occasions and that these warnings would have been noted down.
• Regardless of any penalties being given, the innings is extended to allow the full number of overs to be bowled.
• Also, don’t forget, that the Laws of Cricket addresses time wasting by both the bowling and batting side:
• 41.9 Time wasting by the fielding side
• 41.10 Batter wasting time
• Interrupted matches
• Having done all the calculations to determine how many overs are to be bowled following an interruption and advising both Captains, the following options for penalties apply:
• Team bowling first. Only face the number of overs they bowled at the end of the re-scheduled play. They still have to bowl the full quota.
• Team bowling second. Six penalty runs added to the batting team for each over not bowled by the end of the re-scheduled play. They still have to bowl the full quota.

Of interest, the Playing Conditions allow, at the Umpire’s discretion, the awarding of six penalty runs to the side bowling first in addition to the restriction of overs that they will face. This point has been confirmed by Peter Goodchap of the Grades Committee who wrote the Playing Conditions.

It is highly recommended that this double penalty is not applied without the fielding Captain being very clearly advised many times (note down every time they are warned) that they are well behind and then do nothing about it!

Remember that any penalties have to be shown in the Match Reports.

Minimum overs in the last hour of each day – 2-Day matches

Part B – Competition General Playing Conditions Law 12.4. – Fixture Matches – Over Rates, Sub-para-G states, ‘The minimum number of overs to be bowled in the last hour of play is

16.’ Peter Goodchap has confirmed that this Playing Condition applies to both days of a 2-Day match.

Oops we got it wrong.

True story, years ago when I lived and umpired in Sydney, one of the NSWCUSA umpires was telling me this story against himself. As he was giving a batter out, he was thinking, ‘I have no idea why I am putting my finger up.’ We laughed together at the time, but aside from the why he did this, it highlights what we have all done. We have all got it wrong and knew that we got it wrong straight away . This is okay, we are human, make mistakes and the law allows for it.

Law 2.12 Umpire’s decision – ‘An umpire may alter any decision provided that such alteration is made promptly. This apart, an umpire’s decision, once made, is final.’

A simple example is, oops we called a wide, knowing that the ball was hit; fine, just revoke the decision and then if appropriate give the correct decision. No big deal and get on with the game. Our experience is that the players respect the umpire who recognises the mistake and promptly fixes it.

The days of the umpire being stubborn and not changing a decision when they have made a blunder are well past. Mind you, stay strong if you believe in your decision even though the world is against you!

Covid protocols

As we have meandered around the grounds, we have noticed that some umpires are holding player’s hats in contradiction to extant Cricket Gold Coast Covid 19 protocols. We ask, that until advised, that you do not handle player’s clothing/hats or the ball. This also applies to those umpiring junior games.

Apart from not complying with the protocols, it creates confusion in the player’s mind and puts your fellow umpires under unnecessary pressure when they decline to take a cap and then get told that so and so umpire did!

Who are you?

We are trying something different in the hope that you will get to know your fellow umpires a bit more. So, in the first of a series, Pat Carty has spoken to Colin Eadie in a new segment called, ‘Who are you?’

1. Where did you play your first game of cricket?
2. Beaumaris

• Where did you play your Senior cricket?
• Devonport, Hobart & Runaway Bay
• Most memorable match?
• I took 9/46 in 1977 in a 3rd grade match in Hobart
• When and where did you start umpiring?

A.    Gold Coast 2016

• Most unusual thing you have seen while umpiring?

A. I was signalling 4 with the ball flying to the boundary when it hit a cow pat and stopped. (Alberton)

• Favourite cricketer from any era?

A.    Viv Richards

• Who is going to win The Ashes?

A.    Australia

• 8. Favourite holiday destination?

A.    Myanmar (Burma)

• Favourite meal?

A.    Curry

10.    Favourite movie?

A.    The Green Mile

What do you take onto the field with you?

For the newer umpires, consider what you take onto the field. There are many things that can be taken but we recommend that you keep it to the minimum.

The below photo is what Pat finds useful. The silver-coloured cylinder next to the knife is lip balm. What looks like a phone case is a small leather bag that he puts the knife and other stuff into.

Yours in umpiring and as we say, may all your snicks be loud

Your Training and Selections Committee

Pat Carty, Michael Guy and Leigh Buckingham