Teenage umpire bashed after not out decision

[King]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/2471133/Teenage-umpire-bashed-after-not-out-decision Teenage umpire bashed after not out decision Stuff.co.nz Last updated 07:47 04/06/2009 Share Print Text Size Relevant offers A teenaged British cricket umpire was mobbed and hit with stumps after he ruled a batsman was not out, according to media reports. Eighteen-year-old Matthew Lowson was attacked by three fielders during a Sunday game in Yorkshire, North England, the Yorkshire Post reported. The incident allegedly happened when Bradford Shimler players playing against the Sheffield Alliance Cricket Club, appealed for a catch which Lowson ruled not out. One spectator described the incident as appalling, saying he had never seen anything like it in his 30 years of watching cricket. "Players from the opposition team had to intervene and use themselves as human shields to protect the innocent young umpire from being severely injured." Another spectator described the violence directed at the umpire. "I could see the players surrounding the umpire, repeatedly hitting him with fists, kicks and stumps. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The opposition team ran towards their vehicle and fled," they said. A police spokesman said no one had been arrested but they were speaking to three people about the incident. Lowson was uninjured from the alleged attack apart from some reddening to his left cheek. The league is also investigating the incident.

[Dhondy]

Shameful behaviour from Bradford players. Here's a slightly more detailed account, Ravi. Read it carefully, and draw your own conclusions. Then perhaps reflect on the Flintoff thread in chit chat and see if you can find a link. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/4412652.Cricket_team_in_police_roadside_ID_parade/ Bradford team bus pulled over 7:00am Tuesday 2nd June 2009 By Will Kilner » A Bradford cricket team had to take part in an identity parade at the side of a busy motorway when their minibus was stopped by police investigating an alleged assault on an umpire. Members of Shimla cricket club were on their way back to Bradford after the abandonment of their bad-tempered match against Sheffield Alliance in the Quaid-e-Azam league. South Yorkshire Police said they were called to the Rotherham Phoenix sports ground, the venue for the game, at 4pm on Sunday. A police spokesman said: “Three men were accused of confronting the umpire and it’s believed that one of the men may have struck the umpire, who was an 18-year-old from the Grenoside area of Sheffield. “The victim suffered no injuries except slight reddening to the left cheek. The three men were from the away team and it appears they were unhappy with a decision made by the umpire.” The Shimla team’s minibus had departed the ground by the time officers arrived and was stopped on the M1 entry slip road a short time later. Those inside the minibus were then put into an identity parade to allow the umpire to pick out those he regarded as the perpetrators. Police said three people were now helping with their inquiries, but stressed that they were being questioned voluntarily and had not been arrested. Matters came to a head after a series of hotly-disputed umpiring decisions went against the visiting team, who are run by wicket keeper Waleed Ditta, owner of Shimla’s restaurant in Great Horton Road, Bradford. Mr Ditta, 29, nicknamed Benny, said: “The whole situation was a joke and has been blown out of all proportion. “We are in third place in the league and we have got some of the best players from the Bradford League in our team, people like Adam Patel and Kez Ahmed. “This kind of ridiculous allegation makes top players like that look really bad. To make matters worse, on the edge of the motorway, they are put on an identity parade. “It’s quite embarrassing. Loads of police cars turned up, so it’s a massive waste of police time. “We had at least 17 decisions go against us in the game. We said to the umpire ‘this is embarrassing’ and he said ‘I have done a course in umpiring.’ “One of their batsmen was clean bowled by our off-spinner Kez Ahmed, who plays for East Bierley, and the umpire said: ‘I can’t give that out because I didn’t see it.’ “It was a joke. We said ‘look, we have had enough, we are walking off.’ Mr Ditta said the only contact between a player and the umpire was when a Shimla bowler accidentally collided with him as he was running up to bowl – an incident Mr Ditta blamed on the umpire’s inability to stand still. Basharat Hussain, chairman of the league, said: “The matter is under investigation and we are waiting for reports from the official and the two clubs involved. “The word assault has been mentioned, but that is over the top. “For some reason the police turned up, but they just said it was a waste of their time.”

[Dhondy]

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news2/Cricketers-punch-kick-and-hit.5324014.jp Cricketers punch, kick and hit umpire with stumps in row By Polly Rippon and Richard Marsden CRICKET fans watched in horror as a teenager umpiring a South Yorkshire match was allegedly punched, kicked, and hit with stumps by players angry at his call of 'Not out'. Police were called to the Quaid E Azam Sunday Cricket League match between Sheffield Alliance Cricket Club and Bradford Shimla at the Phoenix Ground in Brinsworth, Rotherham. It is understood the attack on umpire Matthew Lowson, aged 19, happened ADVERTISEMENTin the last ball of the 35th over, when the Bradford team appealed for a catch and the umpire gave not out. Matthew, from Grenoside, Sheffield, told The Star he did not want to comment because he had referred the matter to the league's executives. He said: "I'm not going to say anything until I know what the league is going to do." But one horrified spectator said: "I saw around four to eight players surrounding the umpire and repeatedly hitting him with fists, kicks and stumps. "Players from the opposition team had to intervene and use themselves as human shields to protect the young umpire from being severely injured. "I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The Bradford team ran towards their vehicle and fled. "The police were informed by spectators and the umpire, who was in shock, was comforted by spectators watching another match on the side wicket." The supporter added: "I've never witnessed anything like it in my 30 years of watching and playing cricket. This was appalling behaviour - action needs to be taken to prevent officials being assaulted." A police spokeswoman confirmed officers attended the ground on Pavilion Lane, Brinsworth, at 4pm on Sunday. She said: "Three men are accused onf confronting the umpire and it is believed one of them may have struck the umpire in the face." Stuart Granger, chairman of South Yorkshire Cricket League Umpire's Association and secretary of the English Cricket Board's Association of Cricket Officials for the South Yorkshire Branch, said: "This club must be banned from all cricket and the players must appear before a disciplinary committee for the league. "We shall be seeking to have them expelled. We are not prepared to accept this against a 19-year-old lad. "This is totally unacceptable in any level of cricket. It is totally against the spirit of the game. Players should have respect for their colleagues, umpires and other players." The game was organised by the Quaid E Azam Sunday Cricket League. The Bradford-based league is organised by amateurs who rented the pitch from Rotherham's Phoenix Cricket Ground. No-one from the league or either club was available to comment. Today Barnsley-born umpiring legend Dickie Bird condemned the incident and said he hoped strong disciplinary action would be taken against any players found to have taken part. He told The Star: "Cricket is a civilised sport played by gentlemen. It saddens me to hear of anyone being attacked on a cricket field over a decision. What is the game coming to?"

[Gambit]

Shameful behaviour from Bradford players. Here's a slightly more detailed account, Ravi. Read it carefully, and draw your own conclusions. Then perhaps reflect on the Flintoff thread in chit chat and see if you can find a link. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/4412652.Cricket_team_in_police_roadside_ID_parade/ Bradford team bus pulled over 7:00am Tuesday 2nd June 2009 By Will Kilner » A Bradford cricket team had to take part in an identity parade at the side of a busy motorway when their minibus was stopped by police investigating an alleged assault on an umpire. Members of Shimla cricket club were on their way back to Bradford after the abandonment of their bad-tempered match against Sheffield Alliance in the Quaid-e-Azam league.

WTF?

South Yorkshire Police said they were called to the Rotherham Phoenix sports ground, the venue for the game, at 4pm on Sunday. A police spokesman said: “Three men were accused of confronting the umpire and it’s believed that one of the men may have struck the umpire, who was an 18-year-old from the Grenoside area of Sheffield. “The victim suffered no injuries except slight reddening to the left cheek. The three men were from the away team and it appears they were unhappy with a decision made by the umpire.” The Shimla team’s minibus had departed the ground by the time officers arrived and was stopped on the M1 entry slip road a short time later. Those inside the minibus were then put into an identity parade to allow the umpire to pick out those he regarded as the perpetrators. Police said three people were now helping with their inquiries, but stressed that they were being questioned voluntarily and had not been arrested. Matters came to a head after a series of hotly-disputed umpiring decisions went against the visiting team, who are run by wicket keeper Waleed Ditta, owner of Shimla’s restaurant in Great Horton Road, Bradford. Mr Ditta, 29, nicknamed Benny, said: “The whole situation was a joke and has been blown out of all proportion. “We are in third place in the league and we have got some of the best players from the Bradford League in our team, people like Adam Patel and Kez Ahmed.

:hysterical:

“This kind of ridiculous allegation makes top players like that look really bad. To make matters worse, on the edge of the motorway, they are put on an identity parade. “It’s quite embarrassing. Loads of police cars turned up, so it’s a massive waste of police time. “We had at least 17 decisions go against us in the game. We said to the umpire ‘this is embarrassing’ and he said ‘I have done a course in umpiring.’ “One of their batsmen was clean bowled by our off-spinner Kez Ahmed, who plays for East Bierley, and the umpire said: ‘I can’t give that out because I didn’t see it.’ “It was a joke. We said ‘look, we have had enough, we are walking off.’ Mr Ditta said the only contact between a player and the umpire was when a Shimla bowler accidentally collided with him as he was running up to bowl – an incident Mr Ditta blamed on the umpire’s inability to stand still.

:hysterical:

[nikred]

“One of their batsmen was clean bowled by our off-spinner Kez Ahmed, who plays for East Bierley, and the umpire said: ‘I can’t give that out because I didn’t see it.’

Now that response is really like asking for trouble.:cantstop:

[King]

There are some really silly stuff that went on in the game by the looks of it. The umpire may have been extremely inept and the players may have got a bit carried away. It happens at times but it's a shame it turns out into a punch up. It sounds like the tourney was organized by Pakistani bunch and the Indian lads thrashed an inept umpire. It just doesn't make good reading this either way. Freddi's rants does make sense though. Feeling isolated in your own country is a bit hard to take.