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[L21]

Not sure where I should have posted this but is relevant to my match.

As I am sure many of the other forum members do, the batting team are required to umpire their innings (unless someone turns up with an umpire, unlikely!)

I am one of those strange individuals who actually enjoys umpiring, for me it is much more entertaining than sitting and watching or, heaven forbid, scoring!

However, there comes a time when this enjoyment is stubbed out by your opponents.

This weekend, during their batting innings, I was informed by their captain that they "liked an appeal".

I am often umpiring for the first 10 overs of the game, during which the "appealing began"

One over, 2 balls go down the leg side, the next 4 balls hit pad, all going across the bowler and IMHO going down the leg side, particularly as the batsman was about a foot outside the crease.

Next over, the same again happens and again still IMHO going down leg, until the bowler got one to shoot off the deck hitting the batsman on the ankle, however, still IMHO it would have maybe clipped leg stump.

I was then subject to a tirade of abuse from the bowler who not only appealed twice but continued to mutter past me. I informed him of my decision and said that nobody is perfect.

At the end of the following over I had a quiet word with the captain informing him that I would not stand out here and be abused and sworn at. He then spoke to the bowler in question and ended if with "that is enough" to which the bowler aimed in my direction "You should be fair though".

At no point did I perceive myself as being unfair.

I am wondering what I can do when presented with this situation.

As an umpire are you allowed to issue warnings to bowlers?

What other actions can you take?

Any feedback would be great. Have been mulling over this quite a lot since Saturday

[ProCricketer1982]

Give nothing, expect nothing and no one is unhappy

[TangoWhiskey]

Not a lot you can do mate. I had one guy decide to bowl right arm around the wicket to my right handed team mate. The ball wasn't swinging and was pitching miles outside the leg stump whilst the batsman was playing a shot. Eventually one rapped the pads and of course this mad eyed bowler starts going mental. I obviously shook my head, to which point he started going mental, effing and blinding. I just walked up to him in a non aggressive but firm manner and explained to him the LBW rule and offered to go with him to check up the rules on a phone. He had obviously forgotten about it and became very sheepish. Didn't hear a peep from him for the rest of the game.

[smilley792]

Of the first 12 balls 8 hit the pad?? Your opener is aware he can use his bat?


Midweek we have to ump ourselves.  Lbw are very very rare thing. 
In fact we had an ump wed.  Half appealed for a plum shout, ump gave it. And we just started laughing as it's been so long since we had one!
As pro said. Give nothing expect nothing.

[ProCricketer1982]

If you get any abuse, just say to the skipper you won't stand for it and will report them. Preceded to do the whole innings, both ends and give nothing. It is amazing how a team gives nothing, then kick up when they get nothing. Tbh, Irsrely don't ave umpires but I'm learning player ones are probably better!! It's at least consistent if you don't send out the muppets

[swamidude]

This is the nature of low league cricket these days mate. Our number 5 got hit on the pad first ball last week, ball rolled down leg and was obviously missing. Bowler didn't appeal but the keeper (captain, what a disgrace) goes up like crazy and gully (an old bloke) openly says to me at the other end that we're not getting any decisions when we came out.

They had a guy get 120 odd but was hit on the back leg right in front of middle that they turned out early in his innings. We still won but it's frankly embarrassing the way some teams will behave on a cricket field.

Had one guy give a not out when we had a team 9 down in the last over a couple of seasons ago, asked him why and he said 'Pitched outside off'.........

[Akewstick]

I saw an alternative approach to this, umpire from my team was giving loads of wides, the oppo reckoned he was being harsh and calling wide when it wasn't. They disagreed, the umpire was of the opinion "I've made my decision, that's the end of it" the oppo were acting like teenagers that had been grounded, whinging and bitching and being sarcastic "pitch it on middle stump then, it'll probably still be wide if he doesn't hit it" so boring, so childish, and at the end of the day they were borderline calls, so make your opinion known once if you need to, and then STFU and take it.

Anyway I was at the non-strikers end and the batsman on strike got stumped, looked clear as day to me, 2ft outside his crease, keeper takes the ball, smashes the bails off and everyone goes up like mad and the umpire walks down the track to the keeper and says "Hold on, your gloves touched the bails..." The keeper LOST it, went bright red, grabbed his head in his hands, spitting with rage and everyone is surrounding the umpire screaming everything you can think of. The umpire then says "No, I mean, I'm asking you. DID your gloves touched the bails before?" and then gave the guy out.

I couldn't tell if the umpire actually had doubts about it, if so then he was pretty brave to ask it surrounded by fielders, if it was intentional then he's a proper devious git.

[golden duck]

I've done the 1 & 1a umpire courses so always end up umpiring first 10 (or until enough wickets fall that I'm needed!). There are a couple of occasions I've done a whole game (12th man, so why nit) and once I did a whole game - both ends! That was tiring!

I always be honest & give both teams the same decision. When I umpire I'm neutral. I know my skipper & the club secretary would be disappointed if I did any different.

Saying that, there are times that other teams blatantly don't give obvious lbws etc. I prefer to keep my integrity even though it might cost us. We are bottom but one division so don't expect the right answer all the time, but we do want to play with honesty and in the 'spirit' of the game.

[golden duck]

Sorry, bit more thoughts.

Sounds like you handled it right & their skipper was man enough to tell his bowler to shut it. Not many will stand up like that.

You can't 'send off' or 'yellow card'  unfortunately - as much as you might like to. There are only a few occasions you can remove a bowler (deliberate dangerous bowling for example)

Reporting to the league is your best response. Then it depends how strong your league is.

[edge]

Sounds like their captain dealt with it pretty well to be fair? Every team has a nutter bowler who thinks everything is out, and often enough in the lower leagues there's an angry old bloke at gully too. Just have to learn to ignore them and hope the rest of their team thinks they're idiots too.

I've seen a few crackers in my time, been absolutely screamed at for not giving a caught behind on a Sunday and then had the bowler look pretty sheepish when I pointed out I hadn't put the finger up because the batsman had walked! Similar for a stumping before, last wicket of the game when one of our lads was out by a full yard and I'd assumed he would walk, strolled in to shake hands and the oppo are going mental because they think I've turned it down. They cheered up when I gave it though.

Highlight was in a 2s game a few years back against local rivals, they clearly sent a teenager out to do square leg with orders to not give anything. Stumping, miles out, he panicked and came up with the idea that telling us 'his foot was on the line' would save him. His face when I explained the rule that on the line is out was a sight to be seen 

[L21]

Of the first 12 balls 8 hit the pad?? Your opener is aware he can use his bat?

I did mention to said batsmen that he may wish to use his bat as it makes my life much easier! To be fair to the bloke he isn't an opener, was just standing in.

[richthekeeper]

i'm quite a mischievous fellow, so fully enjoy keeping my finger in my pocket when i know a batsman is about to walk for a caught behind. it's always fun when half the team starts abusing me while the other half is celebrating, and it lets me give a bit back to the oppo as well ;-)

jokes aside, i do prefer to give players the chance to walk before i give them out. i usually give them the eyes, then a slight nod of the head, then if they still haven't turned to go i'll get the finger out!

[L21]

Just an update on this. (I feel this may get updated weekly)

After a surprisingly good game of cricket this weekend. There was one blip on a rather enjoyable day.

Doing my normal umpiring session and enjoying some banter against a local side.

An offy had our number 3 tied up with numerous balls hitting the pads, some to an appeal and some not.

He then threw down a quicker one which struck the pads, massive appeal. "Not Out". I then explained my decision to mutterings and comments that I chose to ignore. For anyone interested, I believe the ball hit the batsman outside the line of off stump, to further support my decision, as it was a quicker ball I didn't think it had turned as much and would have missed. Next ball, the ball hits pad straight in line with the stumps, "Out". To which I was congratulated by the sarcastic bowler and informed by long off, "how did I miss the first one", which was obviously plum from 70 metres away. Just to add, after this decision the bowler turned one from outside off to down leg which made me think was my previous decision (Out) the correct one?

After my duties were relieved I had a discussion with the skipper regarding umpiring. After a few points were raised, my biggest argument was that when you are playing a team that appeals every time the ball hits the pad, how can you decipher what appeals are genuine and what are stupid appeals. In all honesty, when teams do this, I am more reluctant to give decisions. The skipper summed this and everything up  by saying that: According to the rule book, it is in the "opinion of the umpire".

For anyone who has the opportunity to umpire, how often do you think something is out that nobody appeals for? but then think it is not out when the team have gone up?

As stated earlier in this thread, I am a fair umpire and I will give what I believe is the correct decision (In my opinion). However, when teams excessively appeal or begin to swear e.t.c my opinion soon becomes that it is going to have to send the stumps cartwheeling before you get a decision.

 

[dougydee]

After reading these stories and hearing similar ones, I'm not looking forward to the time when I slip down the grades and am required to umpire our own games. It seems like most of the times teams and players are good but every now and again it flares up big time.

[play-yourself-in]

I have done a lot of umpiring over the years and do enjoy, I took my level 1 course a couple of years back.  I'm sure we'd all agree that the majority of people who play are friendly and respect the laws of the game but you always get the odd few idiots.  I tend to have a few witty responses up my sleeve for occasions where the bowlers or fielders are getting chirpy....

"bowl it at the stumps and I'll give"

Bowler : "why wasn't that out?"
Me : "you're not good enough to get him out"

Sometimes I resort to "I'm sorry I literally have no idea what the rules are"  (I know they're laws not rules)

Sometimes I like to shower an angry bowler/fielder with love and make them feel special.