This is the first league game I’ve blogged about this season. After what happened on saturday, you might understand my reluctance to write about league cricket. I joined a new club. They’ve been fair. They gave me starts in first team cup games but told me to work my way up their four teams. So I started in the 3rds, got dropped to the 4ths, went up to the 3rds, scored 85, took five wickets v Harrow 3rds , into the 2nds where I’ve remained. There are three 2nd team divisions. We play in league one. The standard’s good.
Shame then that the standard of umpiring up and down the country, outside first team club cricket, can be awful, dishonest and incompetent. All because independent officials cost money and clubs only fork out for first teams. For everyone else, you bring your own umpires or you bring your own cheat. Clubs that bring an umpire, bring a decent man or woman who’s going to do their best; give decisions against you, for you. Or they can bring a partial supporter who works on the rule “don’t give theirs because they wont give ours.” Which can be summed up as we’ll cheat because we believe they’ll cheat.
I remember playing for Brentham 2nds v Wembley 7/8 years ago. There was a clear run out. Wembley’s man was 5 yards- lets call it 10- out. Their umpire, a player, said “not out”. Our captain threw him, literally threw him off the pitch. You get use to this kind thing; though rare, you get use to it.
I’ve only seen stuff like this in league cricket but I doubt it’s exclusive to it. On Saturday v Barnet B’s there was a little trouble. I’ve been reported to the league for abusing the umpire after he gave me out. I have also been accused of approaching Barnet B’s hon secretary and saying “you should take that bloke to all your games… you’ll win a few more games… you won’t be bottom of the league for long.” My dismissal is on film. I did linger and ask in a civil tone, how on earth he could give that decision ? It was half a foot outside leg stump and insult to injury it struck me on the thigh. Got a bruise to show for it.
I shouldn’t have lingered; shouldn’t have questioned the decision. Umpires make mistakes. But this fella really enjoyed giving me out. Watch the film. I’d said nothing to him all day. I hung around for 6 seconds after he gave me out and there was no abuse. Something I’d never do even if I felt, no not felt, even if I knew an umpire had made four incorrect decisions in one side’s favour.
It was hard to take because I took to the field with a few prejudices. Barnet Barclays CC fielded an entirely British- Asian team. Most of them were of Pakistani descent I think. Batsmen and fielders all spoke Urdu to each other; could have been Serbo-Croat though. I reckon 2 0r 3 were third generation. That’s a guess because the rest who spoke English at the end to say ‘well played’ did so in that lovely sing song accent of the subcontinent.
As a black African who’s spent some of his cricketing life in leafy white clubs and seen such London clubs change to reflect the diversity of the city, it was really sad to play a team as monocultural as say Teddington CC 10-15 years ago. I was certain there’d be a stitch up. I don’t know why. Diverse and predominantly white clubs bring cheating umpires with them as well. So I’m a racist then. Up against an Urdu speaking cricket team from Barnet, I was quick to think the worst. Yes shame on me, shame on, shame on me.
There was real heat and passion during the game; It felt like Lagaan at times. You see there’s further proof I’m a racist. Lagaan is a story about the suffering doled out to Hindu peasants and villagers by a villainous whitey imperial tax collector. Barnet Barclays were made up of Brit-Pakistanis. Yeah they are all the same to me; Hindus, Muslims, Zoarastrians, Nubians, etc.
I did want to make sense of it all; the menace in the air that came with constant appealing; fiery, constant mass appealing, from square leg to fine leg, mid wicket to deep mid wicket. I asked a reliable source; an Indian ex girlfriend who knows nothing about cricket and she said don’t worry “it’s not you….. it’s a Pakistani thing.” My old Pakistani amigo I grew up playing cricket against on the streets of west Sexual (Ealing) will be chuffed to hear that.
Barnet Barclays gained one point and we got four for the draw. Btw I wasn’t the only one they reported. Of course, our side, the victims of their disputed decisions did not report their umpire to have him banned for life.
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Looked outside leg, and a highish, and I hate umpires giving things out when they are on the move.
Jrod, I didn’t notice that the umpire moves to get directly behind the stumps after the bowler’s released the ball. Which can’t have helped his line of vision. I still don’t get why he enjoyed it so much. He loved getting that finger up.
At least he waited until you were hit on the leg before giving you out.
All sorts of things wrong with that decision, not least that the umpire raises his finger to the bowler rather than you. Clearly passing a long way over the stumps, what a ch***. But why wasn’t the umpire one of the batting side, as is usually the case in non first team games? At least the bias goes against the bowler then.
We had a game like this once when playing for The Times vs the Daily Mail. Our quickest bowler skittled the stumps but the umpire, a Mail man, stuck his arm out and said “no ball”. Fine, no reason to suspect it wasn’t, even if it was annoying. But then the next ball he shouted no ball again and when our bowler asked why was told “your foot was on the front line”.
Bowler replied: “It’s supposed to be over the f***ing line to be a no-ball.” At which, he takes a longer run-up, sends down a bouncer that hits the batsman on the temple, bringing up a huge bump, and then ricochets on to his stumps. He turned to stare at the umpire, daring him to call it a no-ball again, but this time he didn’t have the guts.
Bloody crazy umpiring…
Tom,
Found your site via Jrod - great stuff. Am wondering if you saw either Solanki or Flintoff’s T20 innings over the last couple of days. Thought they set the scale of 100 in 50 balls in context. Might post on this myself but was interested in your view…?
I didn’t see Flintoff’s or Solanki’s knock but I did hear about Alistair Cook getting one in 57 balls.
Now that amazes me. This gives me even more confidence. I’m sure Cook can beast the ball. He plays conservatively or has to, to make it at the highest level. Still it gives me confidence! All three pros aren’t encumbered by the target or the challenge. They go and do their best as do I but if I get a good start, I always have 50 balls on my mind. So there you have it, I’ve got it harder.
BTW, ‘Call them Ishmael’ was not only flaterring but one hell of a post.
Yes, good point - the target itself becomes something else to overcome. you need to get into that mental state where you’re not thinking about any of it as you bat, although realistically that would be hard as you got close. Solanki could have got there from about 40 balls, but he tightened up and got the last few in singles.
That is an absolutely amazing LBW. I’m still struggling to understand how that could have been given out.
To Tom Redfern
Very interesting posts and film on your website. Please contact me by email re practice sessions at Finchley Indoor Nets if you’re iinterested.
Regards,
John.
John, who is this in disguise? Is that you steve, or is that Will, whoever it is, man up and post a comment with your real name
Mate - that’s got to be one of the worst I’ve seen, and I’ve seen PLENTY. It’s been getting worse in recent years and it’s because no-one bothers to learn the rules. It might just be me, but is that ****ting joker actually turning to the bowler to give that out?
Flannel, you are not the first one to notice that he turns to the bowler when he gives me but it makes better theatre no?
We all get bad decisions. That day I thought the worst which you shouldn’t. if you think that decision was bad watch the v Barnet Barclays away post.
I bumped into a bloke at Finchley CC who said ‘I’m glad you’ve got their decsions on film. We got some shockers when we played them too.’
I thought your reaction was quite muted and can’t believe you were reported for it. I did see the other decision - incredible. I played a Sunday league game at Barnet about three years ago and we were triggered out by a bloke there quicker on the draw than Wyatt Earp!!
Confession time - I played against you in the Finchley vs Stoics game this year. I’ll tell you how to play the young leggie sometime….
That young leggie got a Pfeiffer and he did better players than me.
No shame getting out to him.
I feel a bit sorry for Barnet.
Re being reported. I had a two hour grilling by a League discplinary board on Oct 1. It was highly amusing at times.
The panel claimed a bit in their laws about dissent ‘at any time’ meant I was answerable for comments in my blog. So if you’re sat at home, calling the umpire every name under the sun, evacuating your rectum and yelling the umps name as you strain away, should the league hear about it, you’re bang to rights.
I had to point out to them that their own laws define dissent at any time being limited to the field of play with field of play meaning all areas of the ground. Cyberspace? Cricket pitch? Pretty desperate or what. If they were going to misinterpret their own laws to such an extent, one might think they were out to get you!
Still waiting for their decision!
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