Hi Guys,
3rd game of the season today and am sitting at home dwelling over the joke that was today's game as well as the overall feeling of a rubbish seasons cricket so far (And that was after the rain).
Having dropped down the leagues due to moving counties for University commitments I find myself now playing village cricket... end of the day its still a game and also I am helping them out as they didn't have a wicketkeeper. For these guys we have club/team umpires (one from each team or two from the home team).
This is the follow fielding scenario for the past 3 games:
Game 1 - After the opening pair put on past 100 on a very very very damp track we started to skittle them out and got them 120/7.
The next batsman comes in and takes guard about half a foot outside he crease, I was standing back about 5ft from the stumps after some very wayward bowling. Bowler comes in... Play and a miss... Into the gloves... Notice batsman hasn't stepped back into the crease... Bails off... How is that ? .......................... Not out. I was absolutely baffled by the fact that this was the simplest of all stumpings that could be given, the batsman made absolutely no attempt to step back in and was clearly out. (The batsman however commented I called him out before removing the bails...... yet he was still out his crease.) Firstly due to the time delay the umpire may have switched off as it wasn't an instant stumping however by no means was the ball dead... Surely the Leg Umpire has only one job to concentrate on and should be doing this to the full?
Game 2 - Playing on a better track with some carry however standing up to a medium pacer, their batsmen plays and misses a leg side glance, over balances and falls out the crease. The bails were off in one quick smooth motion... Hows that ? Not out... At this point the batsman was still outside his crease. Umpire said the bails were taken off whilst the batsman was still in his ground and then he fell out.... At this point a roar of laughter comes from the slips, gully and point. And their players questioning why he wasn't given out as it was clear even from the pavilion .....
However the game then seemed to go in our advance as a new batsman tried a leg glance missed and ball carried through and I took it and then just threw and caught the ball a couple of times in the gloves...I then turn to see the Umpire give the batsman out for a caught behind ... that no one appealed?
Swings and roundabouts I suppose.
Game 3 (Today's game and by far the most frustrating) - After starting well taking out one opener, no3 and no4 their team looked in trouble. Their opener edged and fluked his way to the 40's. The batsman then tries an audacious leg side shot that came through via the pads and into the gloves. The Bowler, Slips and Myself appealed to be given not out and the batsman turning to me and saying you know I didn't hit it so why f---ing cheat? As many wickeys know, you don't have a great idea whether the batsman hits it and it comes down leg but there was definitely two noises and if you don't ask you don't get.
The same batsman then continued to edge and fluke his way to the 90's... He then tried to sweep a swing bowler to leg missing completely and kicking up a lot of dust... Appealed this but before I had even finished appealing I noticed that the batsman was still out his ground by 1-2 feet and whipped off the bails and ready to begin celebrating only for both the appeals to be given not out. After the confusing of what was being appealed I knew the stumping was out the umpires decided not out... The batsman once again chirped up and said "just shut the f--- up and get on with the game". At the end of the over I chirped with "The problem is you knew you were out and the decent thing to do would have been a gentleman and walked" To which this guy replied "We will discuss it in the bar after the game" Which came across as slightly pathetic for a guy who knew he was cheating himself and everyone on the pitch.
Next over the first ball comes through from an offy and the same batsman plays and misses... I return the ball to the bowler only for the batsman to say to the umpire I tried to throw the ball and him ... I was given a warning even though the umpire watched me return the ball. Next ball the guy sweeps and is plum LBW Appeal - Given ..... Batsman turns to Me and says you better watch yourself after the game.
After batting quite poorly I come into bat at number 5... Offy gives me a lovely full floated toss, smashed away for 4. Next ball comes in and I pick it up and smash it through the covers for 4... same happened to the next two balls.... However what I failed to notice was the gentleman batsman was standing at cover and said to the umpire I was attempting to hit the ball at him to which the umpire warned me for unsportmans like conduct ..... At this point I nearly retired as I had literally had enough of the Umpires and the so called sportsmanship and conduct in the field.
After all this am I right to feel aggrieved tonight or am I just worrying about stuff to much ? I know an umpire is not going to change a decision and I know nothing can be done about it now but after considering the last few games on the journey home I just feel like knocking the season on the head and enjoying the summer in a different way which would really be a huge shame.
But after being cheated and warned by what was supposed to be our team umpire I feel its a pointless task even turning up to play again as the bloke clearly doesn't have a clue. I would understand had it been one of their umpires and maybe a bit of cheating going on but not when decisions are so clear cut the all the guy needs to do is raise the finger.
Give me some words of wisdom CBF to calm me down after this rant!
Author
Topic: Becoming a joke! (Read 32989 times)