Of Money, Memorabilias, and Farewell Speeches

[The Outsider]

Is there a better job in the world...........than being an umpire on the ICC elite panel? Scenario : A hard fought Test match is being played out between arch rivals India and Pakistan where no one involved dreams of giving a quarter to the opposition. India has piled on the runs, 626 of the best and are looking to close the issue with a depleted bowling attack. A young rookie by the name of Ishant Sharma is given the second new ball on the back of a terrible initial performance. The 19 year old kid fires in with purpose, keeps hitting the sweet spot on the pitch and has India's Achilles' heel, Misbah, in all kinds of bother before thudding one into his pads half way to the knee roll which would have uprooted the middle stump. Our elite umpire Tauffel is a picture of calm and composure as he shakes his head. The young lad goes back to his run up and thuds the very next one in Misbah's pads again, this time taking out the leg stump. Elite umpire, Tauffel, displaying all the calm of Buddha shakes his head again. At the other end, Pathan, on a comeback gets one to curve into Faisal Iqbal hitting the pads in front of middle stump and Tauffel's colleague, Rudi, is a bit more dismissive in negating the appeal, possibly thinking the middle stump is out of range for leg before decisions. The rookie, Ishant, is not disheartened and after ridding Faisal, traps India's other Achilles' heel, Akmal, bang in front of middle stump a few overs later. Tauffel, does his Buddha impersonation again as he shakes his head. A scoreline which should have been 300/7 currently reads 369/5 as another mockery has just been played out in the name of umpiring, traditions, and what not. Why do spectators have shell out so many dollars to put up with this? Why do young players like Sharma and Pathan have to go through what can be career changing moments for them because the incompetents hired to do the job can't do it properly? Sharma and Pathan are going to lose their jobs for the next match when India's main bowlers return but Tauffel and Rudi will sit in meetings with ICC top notchs, happily knocking down one test after another, earning big bucks, and when they have given players and spectators misery over 100+ test matches and they feel they have enough retirement money they will retire and everyone will praise their hard work and dedication to cricket with more money, memorabilia, and farewell speeches. Is there a better career path to pursue in today's professional world? Drop me a line if you think so.

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Cricketics]

spot on dude.. bloody spot on.. freakin hell.. u watch the bloody game by staying awake all night and u get to see some rubbish umpiring.. P.S - Shweatabh, this post is good enough to be used as an article.. why don't u put it as an article instead.. well written btw..

[Ram]

I disagree totally on one count. Umpiring decisions can never terminate/adversely affect a player's career. We havent had ONE player, past or current, come out and say that poor umpiring cost him dearly in his career. As long as people dont understand the essence of human umpiring, the failings that come along with and the impact it has on a cricket match, they will keep complaining about poor umpiring. And its just insane to raise the red-flag every time an umpire makes a mistake. What do we expect, a human to get EVERY decision right, ALL the time ?

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Cricketics]

I disagree totally on one count. Umpiring decisions can never terminate/adversely affect a player's career. We havent had ONE player, past or current, come out and say that poor umpiring cost him dearly in his career. As long as people dont understand the essence of human umpiring, the failings that come along with and the impact it has on a cricket match, they will keep complaining about poor umpiring. And its just insane to raise the red-flag every time an umpire makes a mistake. What do we expect, a human to get EVERY decision right, ALL the time ?

they do mm, they do.. sometimes when u see the average.. lot of times a selector see wickets taken by the bowler over the numbe rof runs given by him.. offcourse thats the drawback..

[sm332]

good that i only watched the first session lest my blood would have started boiling ... but in any case the solution for this is simple ... on T4D5 against Convicts ... with the series in the balance we need 3-4 decisions to go against them ... blatantly bad decisions resulting in a series loss ... wait and watch how quickly there will be agreement on the need for change.

[The Outsider]

Umpiring decisions can never terminate/adversely affect a player's career. We havent had ONE player, past or current, come out and say that poor umpiring cost him dearly in his career.

Ishant and Pathan are essentially playing for the third seamer's slot for the Boxing Day test. Only one of them will make it. Is it fair on them that in addition to their performance the wicket column is filled in by incompetent oldies who can't see if the ball is hitting the middle stump or not?

And its just insane to raise the red-flag every time an umpire makes a mistake. What do we expect, a human to get EVERY decision right, ALL the time ?

Every time? These are 4 wrong decisions in the space of a few overs with the new ball. If you don't think such things change a cricket match, I really don't know what to say.

[Ram]

Absolutely ... Please tell me why me or the players should settle for anything lesser.

And you please tell me, why should the side batting first should settle for a early movement ? Why should the side batting last contend with a crumbling pitch ? Why should a side fielding in floodlights have to deal with a ball that feels like a bar of soap ? Why should a team that comes out to bat after a brief rain spell, have to deal with more movement ? Why should one team benefit from a new ball that swings more ? Or an old one that reverses more ? If you havent understood it yet, Lemme tell you - Cricket is not about L.H.S = R.H.S

[Anakin]

And you please tell me, why should the side batting first should settle for a early movement ? Why should the side batting last contend with a crumbling pitch ? Why should a side fielding in floodlights have to deal with a ball that feels like a bar of soap ? Why should a team that comes out to bat after a brief rain spell, have to deal with more movement ? Why should one team benefit from a new ball that swings more ? Or an old one that reverses more ? If you havent understood it yet, Lemme tell you - Cricket is not about L.H.S = R.H.S

Since when did umpiring become dependent on the flip of a coin or rain or type of pitch or condition?

[The Outsider]

P.S - Shweatabh, this post is good enough to be used as an article.. why don't u put it as an article instead..

Can you or Rajeev add the videos to these 4 decisions in the space of 5-6 overs? We can put it up after someone can do some editing on the post.

[Dravid]

well said dwag..send this to icc :D

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Ram]

Ishant and Pathan are essentially playing for the third seamer's slot for the Boxing Day test. Only one of them will make it. Is it fair on them that in addition to their performance the wicket column is filled in by incompetent oldies who can't see if the ball is hitting the middle stump or not?

So, will it work the other way around too ? Irfan is playing for a spot in the side, gets a favorable decision and goes to do well and seal his place ? Will he then, come out and say - " I performed well , because the umpire helped me" ? Of course he wont, and niether will any sane player complain about bad umpiring decisions affecting their career.

Every time? These are 4 wrong decisions in the space of a few overs with the new ball. If you don't think such things change a cricket match' date=' I really don't know what to say.[/quote'] Yes, who said umpiring decisions dont change a cricket match ? They are meant to. Its just not about 22 men in white jerseys, a red-cherry and a piece of english willow. If it were that way, we would rather have robots playing against each other.

[Cricketics]

Can you or Rajeev add the videos to these 4 decisions in the space of 5-6 overs? We can put it up after someone can do some editing on the post.

i am not home mate else i would have done right away..

[Dravid]

And you please tell me, why should the side batting first should settle for a early movement ? Why should the side batting last contend with a crumbling pitch ? Why should a side fielding in floodlights have to deal with a ball that feels like a bar of soap ? Why should a team that comes out to bat after a brief rain spell, have to deal with more movement ? Why should one team benefit from a new ball that swings more ? Or an old one that reverses more ? If you havent understood it yet, Lemme tell you - Cricket is not about L.H.S = R.H.S

all those r just nature things.. the wearing pitch.. all that is what makes cricket what cricket is.. this ump bs, not good for the game... CAN be fixed, just with a lil help from technology..

[Ram]

Since when did umpiring become dependent on the flip of a coin or rain or type of pitch or condition?

No my point is, the people who cry foul everytime an umpire gives a wrong decision saying - " this is not level playing field, we must make it even for both the sides". i say that is insane logic. Cricket, as a game itself, is not about level playing field. There are so many vagaries that make the game what it is, and human umpiring errors is one of 'em.

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Dhondy]

I disagree totally on one count. Umpiring decisions can never terminate/adversely affect a player's career. We havent had ONE player, past or current, come out and say that poor umpiring cost him dearly in his career. As long as people dont understand the essence of human umpiring, the failings that come along with and the impact it has on a cricket match, they will keep complaining about poor umpiring. And its just insane to raise the red-flag every time an umpire makes a mistake. What do we expect, a human to get EVERY decision right, ALL the time ?

Hypocrisy. If it were your job on the line, you'd be yelling blue murder. It's not just the decisions that Shwetabh has picked up on, and BTW, he is as fair as they come, but several others not given, highlighted in Dileep's article on Cricinfo- all legitimate dismissals, negated by the umpires. There was one in the Pakistani innings as well- Kartick was stone dead, not given, but India have really copped it hard today. Might cost them the series. One of the best ever from Shwetabh. Hats off for its timely nature and relevance.

[Ram]

all those r just nature things.. the wearing pitch.. all that is what makes cricket what cricket is.. this ump bs, not good for the game... CAN be fixed, just with a lil help from technology..

So, why not try to fix the others too ? Lets play indoors where there is no dew. Lets play with a synthetic surface like tennis, where the surface never wears. Lets play with a ball that never alters in condition. we can do that right ? But why the hell dont you guys complain about them ? you dont because you understand its a part of the game, makes it what it is. Umpiring is also like that, understand that.