Reflections of Time in the Middle

[Bornadog]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

As for Holding, he and I didn't get along too well. He played a season for Tasmania and was bowling to the Vics appealing for everything with me turning them all down. A bit like the Hoggy incident, he was also bowling a fair share of no-balls. After one such delivery he comes out with, That's all you can do man, call fn No Balls. I replied, "No it's not, I can do Wides, Run Outs, Stumpings and Caughts. And you should see me at LBWs I'm fn brilliant. Yallop, the non-striker laughed his head off. Holding failed to see the humour in it.

He was quick but not near Thommo.

That is so funny

[Murphy'sLore]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

This is wonderful stuff EJ. Love it! (gen x-er whose cricket obsession lasted right up till the time she converted to football)

More please!

[1eyedog]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

Originally posted by EJSmith

I was umpiring Australia v England in a night game in Sydney. As an umpire, when you take your eyes from the crease looking for a no-ball, depending on the speed of the delivery you pick the ball up a distance down the track. Obviously, for a slow you pick it up before it gets half-way down the pitch.

Now on this particular occasion, Thommo twice beat me down there. It was almost like, by the time I got it Marsh was throwing to the slip fieldsman. This had neve happened before and it never happened again. After that for the rest of his spell I didn't care whether he was bowling no-balls by a yard, my concentration was going to be where the action was and that was down the pitch. It was a real blow to my self-esteem as an umpire.


That is absolutely amazing and provides a pretty clear example of genuine pace! Faster than the eye. Incredible.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

Originally posted by EJSmith

I was umpiring Australia v England in a night game in Sydney. As an umpire, when you take your eyes from the crease looking for a no-ball, depending on the speed of the delivery you pick the ball up a distance down the track. Obviously, for a slow you pick it up before it gets half-way down the pitch.

Now on this particular occasion, Thommo twice beat me down there. It was almost like, by the time I got it Marsh was throwing to the slip fieldsman. This had neve happened before and it never happened again. After that for the rest of his spell I didn't care whether he was bowling no-balls by a yard, my concentration was going to be where the action was and that was down the pitch. It was a real blow to my self-esteem as an umpire.


That is absolutely amazing and provides a pretty clear example of genuine pace! Faster than the eye. Incredible.

May have been partly that and partly a reflection of the competence of the umpire

[LostDoggy]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

Originally posted by EJSmith

I was umpiring Australia v England in a night game in Sydney. As an umpire, when you take your eyes from the crease looking for a no-ball, depending on the speed of the delivery you pick the ball up a distance down the track. Obviously, for a slow you pick it up before it gets half-way down the pitch.

Now on this particular occasion, Thommo twice beat me down there. It was almost like, by the time I got it Marsh was throwing to the slip fieldsman. This had neve happened before and it never happened again. After that for the rest of his spell I didn't care whether he was bowling no-balls by a yard, my concentration was going to be where the action was and that was down the pitch. It was a real blow to my self-esteem as an umpire.


That is absolutely amazing and provides a pretty clear example of genuine pace! Faster than the eye. Incredible.

PHHHHHAAARRK that's fast -- how the hell do you even play that?

[lemmon]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

PHHHHHAAARRK that's fast -- how the hell do you even play that?

I love the story about the bowl off at the WACA, heard Thommo himself tell it at a sportsman's night. Apparently the story goes he wasnt even supposed to bowl, was actually having lunch with Kerry Packer if I recall correctly, hadnt bowled for months as was in recovery from shoulder surgery. Went down and had a trundle, smashed the competition after not having bowled for such a long period and reckoned he could go so much faster, great speaker as well, brilliant stories.

[1eyedog]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

May have been partly that and partly a reflection of the competence of the umpire

Ha ha I doubt it considering you mentioned it never happened again.

PHHHHHAAARRK that's fast -- how the hell do you even play that?

With your insteps and head clearly. I reckon a good amount of Thommo's average came from runs scored backward of point and square leg.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

PHHHHHAAARRK that's fast -- how the hell do you even play that?

You don't; it hits you on the glove and you get caught by Ashley Mallett in gully and then you go and get Xrays on your hand.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

IM Chappell

TCD tells the story of Chappell playing for North Melbourne which is where my story begins. North were in the field at the Gasometer Oval and Collingwood were batting. They got a couple of quick wickets and then in came Colin Tully (I have never seen a bloke spit as much as him) who used to play in the centre for the Filth.

Anyway Tully got a hundred which was despite some of the more outrageous sledging I ever heard in the middle – all coming from IM Chappell. He knew just where to draw the line without the umpires intervening but by the end of the day, as each batsman came and went and told their team-mates what was going on out in the middle you could cut the air with a knife, such was the tension between both sides.

When we called stumps at the end of the day’s play, I recall saying to my mate, “We had better get a shower in fast and head up to the social club before someone kills Chappell.” So after a quick tub we head into the social club to find Chappell with his back to the bar and 11 Collingwood blokes sitting in front of him, spell-bound by his story-telling. Unbelievable! Half hour earlier they were wanting to belt him over the head with their bat.

In the North Melbourne innings I did Chappell in with a caught behind, not that I was umpiring badly, just pulling shockers. Apparently the pill took him on the forearm when averting a bouncer and I thought it caught the bat. I raised the finger and he put the bat under his arm and took his leave, no remonstrations, no raised eyebrow, just took off.
Now, I don’t really have an issue with batsmen not walking (although Sockeye reckons to walk is not within the spirit of the game – I’ve shared that one with a few)but I really get racked off with blokes who don’t walk and then when one goes against them they stack on a turn. You can’t have it both ways. Mind you whilst Chappell left the field without comment, I heard quite clearly the bat being hurled around the clubrooms as soon as he got out of sight. Not that I mind that either – after all, it’s his bat.

I was umpiring Vic v SA and SA were in the field. I think it might have been Prior bowling and Graeme Yallop shouldered arms with the bat hitting the pad before travelling down towards fine leg stopping half way to the fence. The fieldsman nonchalantly walked to the ball, bent down, picked it up and returned it under-arm to Trevor Robinson (the keeper). Just then Chappell noticed Yallop doing a bit of gardening a yard out of crease and instructed Robertson to throw down the wicket. Upon doing so Chappell, along with a few fieldsmen, appealed for run out.

I shook my head and said not out and walked in from square leg to repair the wicket getting heaps from Chappell. He queried why not out, to which I replied, “The ball was dead.” He claimed it could not be dead because Yallop had never returned to his ground. I simply said again, “The ball was dead” to which he enquired, “How can it be dead?” I replied, “Because I said so.”

The Law states, “Whether the ball is dead is a matter alone for the umpire to decide,” so I was on solid ground. Apparently, in a shield game in Perth a week earlier, he had pulled this stunt and got away with it, the batsman being given out.

There are two issues here. With the exception of Bill Lawry and Mike Brearley, I came across no other player who knew anything about the Laws of the game which I found to be ridiculous. I saw Keith Stackpole lose a semi-final to Footscray at the Western Oval (as it was then) because he stuffed up a declaration. God knows how many games have been lost because a Captain hasn’t bothered to learn the Laws of the game.

Footscray had batted first and on the second day when Carlton’s turn to bat came they got knocked over fairly quickly. Stackpole declared some 100 odd runs behind. As he was revving up his players about how they needed to bowl and field and knock Footscray over quickly, Footscray Captain, Lindsay James comes into the Carlton rooms and tells Stacky he can bat again, thus enforcing the follow-on. Stackpole asks, “What are you talking about?” Lindsay then goes on to explain that in Semi-finals the follow-on is 150 runs not 100 as in a normal District fixture. Stackpole then has to stop talking to his bowlers and rev up his batsmen as to how they need to get out there and make a poultice of runs. They lost.

I have lectured on the Laws to umpires and players throughout the country and I always made the point to umpires that if you don’t have a full knowledge of the Laws don’t bother putting your hand out for your fee after the game because you haven’t earned it. All of us make mistakes as to fact eg miss a nick for a caught behind or stuff up a LBW because the batsman got a fine edge but there is no excuse for making a mistake in Law.

Later on in that game Victorian keeper/batsman Richie Robinson was smashing them all over the place. Charging down the wicket to every ball he was belting them out of the ground. Chappell was keeping wicket because Robertson was injured. Bomber Hammond was bowling and he was fairly quickish. Chappell signaled Hammond to bowl one over Robinson’s head. So Hammond comes charging in from his long run-up, Chappell comes charging in from standing back, the ball is delivered over Robinson’s head and Chappell takes it on the full, on the run before smashing into the stumps, gloves first. Funniest stumping I ever saw. And I bet the only wicket Hammond ever got from a stumping.

Fairly astute was IM Chappell

Next MHN Walker

[Bornadog]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

Another good read, can't wait for the stories on Maxie. Have seen him speak at a few functions and boy can he talk.

A few weeks ago I was going on my morning walk and he turns the corner, heading towards the station, sees I am staring at him as we walk towards each other, and says gooday mate. Very nice bloke.

[ledge]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

We have all heard stories on Max , such a lovable bloke.
EJ shame you werent around in the I Chappell v I Botham tirade, that was a good story and they still dont get on.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

MHN Walker

One of the really good blokes was Maxie Walker. Living in the shadows of Lillie and Thomson probably didn’t highlight the abilities of Max and let me tell you the man could bowl. He would do his bit at sportsmen’s nights and tell the story of being brought into the attack when Lillie and Thomson had been smashed AGAIN with the score at - 6/46. Everybody would laugh but Max didn’t live in their shadows. I would say he was the perfect foil after they had done their stuff as he performed the last rites of the innings and presented something different to the other two.

I recall Max bowling in a District game at the Albert Ground, Melbourne v Ringwood. To digress, I reckon the Albert Ground is the prettiest cricket ground in the country. Sydneysiders might put forward North Sydney Oval but for mine it’s the Albert Ground. Perfectly sized and so picturesque. As well as being as petty as a picture, the wicket has always been outstanding particularly if one happens to be a batsman.

I recall former Fitzroy footballer Greg Booth, a very good batsman for Melbourne, belting one out of the ground one day and saying to me, “Plenty of bowlers better than this bloke have tried bowling short on this track and finished on a St Kilda Road tram.”

Anyway on this occasion it was Ringwood’s first season in District cricket and Bluey O’Donnell, a former Geelong footballer and father of former Essendon captain Gary O’Donnell (Geez that makes me feel old) opened the batting. I bet to this day, he wishes he hadn’t.

Maxie was bowling from my end on a typical Albert pitch. He bowled three overs to Bluey who failed to get a bat on one pill such was the movement of the ball by Max. Whilst bowlers over the decades had been reduced to ordinary on that pitch, Max was able to extract bounce and movement off the seam that had to be seen to be believed.

Similarly, in the Final of the Mc Donalds Cup (Ford Ranger Cup) Victoria v New South Wales, he made the ball talk on an MCG wicket that had a bit in it. In NSW innings of 6/199 he took 1/16 from his 10 overs and was close to unplayable. Not bad against a batting line-up including Mc Cosker, Hilditch, Border, Toohey, T Chappell and Doug Walters who got 59. Julien Wiener got 64 and Man of the Match. Walker set the whole game up.
This was the game when my mate Dick French gave Richie Robinson not out caught behind off Lawson who cried – the big ponce.

It was also the game when 45,000 attended, national TV and because of the spicy wicket probably the toughest One-day game I umpired. I was sitting in our dressing room after the game absolutely stuffed when in came Ken Jacobs Secretary of the VCA. Now Jimmy Higgs was 12th man for the Vics and his only act for the day was to pour the drinks. This was the only time he was on the field of play. For that performance he received $1,200. Fair enough. Ken handed me my pay packet and I extracted the proceeds - $22.75. I said to Ken, “I was going to buy you a drink at the Hilton afterwards but I can’t afford it. I have never suggested Umpires should be paid the same as players. After all they put on the show. But $22.75? You have to be kidding!!!!!

Later that year it was Victoria v Pakistan. Maxie was bowling from the other end and my mate Robin Bailhache had given him two warnings for running on the pitch. This was not unusual for Max at this stage of his career. After two warnings, the next occurrence means the bowler is removed from the attack.

The Victorian Captain, John Scholes decided to switch ends so Max comes on from my end. At the end of the over he walks with me to square leg and I say to him out of hearing with the others, “You’re doing it again Max. Once more and we’re stuffed.” He enquires, “We are stuffed?” Had to laugh. Anyway, nothing changes and reluctantly I call and signal dead ball and say to Max, “Sorry mate, that’s it.” He asks whether he can bowl around the wicket and the non-striker, Imran Khan laughs. I ask of him, “Why the mirth?” That shuts him up at least. Let me tell you there was any number of bowlers that I might have done that to and not felt one tinge of concern but Max was such a great fella. At the time he was striving to regain his place in the Australian team but this probably put an end to it. He only played another two first class games before retiring.

Great bloke – outrageously skilled bowler

Next and Final Installment – Sunil %&$*#&% Gavaskar

[LostDoggy]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

Final?!! NOOOOOOOooooooo...

That was fantastic, EJ. Ever think of putting all these into a book? I'd be more than happy to ghost it for you.

[1eyedog]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

Thanks for taking the time to put these together EJ they are very much appreciated as they provide rare insight into the inner machinations of characters and cricket matches from (as far as I am concerned) the golden age of cricket.

It's great to hear these stories from one who was close to the players and the industry. The objectivity of your posts is particularly refreshing having read a number of past player journals.

I'm sure you were told many things that these players probably wouldn't normally say. Funny things come out in the middle.

Thanks again.

[westdog54]

Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

IMThere are two issues here. With the exception of Bill Lawry and Mike Brearley, I came across no other player who knew anything about the Laws of the game which I found to be ridiculous. I saw Keith Stackpole lose a semi-final to Footscray at the Western Oval (as it was then) because he stuffed up a declaration. God knows how many games have been lost because a Captain hasn’t bothered to learn the Laws of the game.

Rugby is a similar game. There are some odd and unusual laws and a knowledge of some of these can go a long way to sneaking a victory against an opponent.

Loving these stories EJ, keep them coming.