Reflections of Time in the Middle

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  • LostDoggy
    WOOF Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 8307

    #46
    Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

    Sunil $%&*##$ Gavaskar

    I umpired all three Tests Australia v India in the 1981 series. Australia won the first Test by an innings. The second Test was a draw with India hanging on 8 wickets down and a ton of runs behind. In between the two Tests I had umpired a one-dayer between India and New Zealand at the MCG and had incurred the wrath of the Indians by demanding that their innings, interrupted by rain, would continue. They wanted the match abandoned because they were heading for a defeat but the umpires’ decision prevailed and they were subsequently beaten. They had to blame somebody so I was a good candidate.

    After the second Test, Gavaskar went to the Press declaring that my decisions had almost cost them a loss. The Press swallowed it up and a number of headlines followed.
    So off we went to Melbourne for the final Test in the series. The game was going along fine with Viswanath getting a ton in India’s first innings and Border replicating that feat in Australia’s first innings. Australia led by about 180 runs after the completion of the first two innings of the game.

    In India’s second innings Gavaskar got runs for the first time in the series having been dismissed cheaply in each of his first five innings. He was on 70, when Lillie bowling from my end bowled an in-dipper which struck Gavaskar on the pad about half way between the ankle and the knee roll. Given it was going to miss off and also miss leg but in my view make a mess of middle I raised the finger.

    Much to my amazement Gavaskar thrust his bat in the air. Lillie charged down the wicket at Gavaskar who turned a similar colour to Eddie Betts when he notices Dale Morris walking towards him. Lillie pointed to the precise spot on the pad where the ball had made contact and offered some verbal encouragement for Gavaskar to take his leave, which he did. On doing so he had to walk past me as I was standing at the Members end and as he approached me he said, “I het thet bull with me bet” to which I replied, “Well you’ve got me stuffed pal, because I’ve just given you out LBW.” With that he motioned to his aptly named partner Chetan Chauhan and said, “We go”

    Now this is not a happy situation. Here I am, umpiring my first Test match in my home town, my wife and kids, mother and mother-in –law in the stand and one team is looking to be on the first flight back to Bombay because of me. I followed after them explaining the Law relating to “Refusal to Play” should they decide to leave the field.
    Just then I hear my mate, Mel Johnson (great bloke and bloody good umpire) call out. I turned around and there was he and Greg Chappell ,standing together at square leg, laughing their heads off. I wandered over to them and Greg says, “This is easy – as soon as they go through the gate, I will appeal and you blokes award the game to us and we’re out of here.”

    I replied, “Mate, this is a Test match and there’s no way the game’s going down like that.” It must have hit a nerve because he wrote in his book how that taught him something about the sanctity of Test matches. As we all know, as Gavaskar got to the boundary, the Indian Manager, one Wing Commander Durani, ushered Vengsarker on to the ground and the game continued. That wicket of Lillie’s actually equaled Richie Benaud’s Australian wicket-taking record so it was not without moment.

    At the next break for tea we went off the ground and just inside the gate I was met by my mother-in-law who suggested I might need to be careful as the crowd of Indians in the seats around where we walked up to the rooms was baying for blood. So, as I walked the steps they gave me heaps (not that I could understand a word) and when I reached the top of the steps I turned to them. There was immediate quiet, not unlike the followers when Forrest Gump, stops in the middle of the road to tell them he’s had enough, I raised my hat and said, “And good afternoon to you, Gentlemen.” I turned back and headed inside just as the throng let loose louder than before. Very funny.

    During those days Channel 9 would run a half hour of the day’s highlights late at night. Richie Benaud and Bill Lawry were presenting the highlights and it wasn’t hard for them to decide what should be the main highlight. After replaying the delivery a couple of times, Richie said, “We are going to slow this down frame by frame so that should tell us something.” It was inconclusive. He then explained that they would amplify the sound a number of times so, “If we hear two noises, this will tell us that he hit the ball”

    So here we go, in the final moments the viewer could actually hear the ball coming through the air until with one dull thud it hit the pad. Phew says I. Richie says, “Well there’s one umpire who can sleep well tonight” Bill says, “I don’t care what that says, I still believe Gavaskar. Good on you Bill, you %^$&#*$%%&. From my point of view, I had absolutely no doubt about the correctness of the decision at the time, nor since. I stuffed up heaps in my time but that wasn’t one of them.

    The game went on and Australia was bowled out for 83 in the last innings on probably the worst wicket ever served up for a Test match. It had cracks allowing you to put your foot on a block of turf and move it up and down. For memory six or seven Aussie bats were bowled by balls going straight along the ground. The MCG pitch in those days was a disgrace.

    So here was a game won by India. Had the skipper had his way, it would have been forfeited

    He finished with a bit of a history Gavaskar. In 81, it was me, in 85 it was Ray Isherwood and in 91 as a commentator, it was Len King and Peter McConnell who successfully sued him and the newspaper he wrote for, and continue to live life more comfortably because of it.

    That is the final chapter. I hope you have enjoyed reading each edition. I know it has been fun writing about my experiences albeit that it was so long ago. I prefer to look back on my time recalling the humourous and the quirky because at the end of the day, it’s just a game. But in my view, the greatest game of all.

    Carn the Dogs

    Comment

    • Bornadog
      WOOF Clubhouse Leader
      • Jan 2007
      • 65597

      #47
      Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

      I have really enjoyed your recollections EJ, they are a great read. I remember that game in 1981 and had no sympathy for Sunil and his hot head team mates. One thing about the Indians they are so passionate about the game.

      Back in 1991, I moved to Taiwan as an expat and while I was there got to know a few Australians and New Zealanders. Some years back, the expats had formed a cricket club but it had been dormant for a few years. One of the guys from NAB found a whole lot of gear so we decided to form a team again for a bit of fun. We came across a group of expat Indians who decided to challenge us, but we had to have a combined team of Australians and NZ. We were all hacks except for one guy who had played first class cricket in NZ as a fast bowler (can't remember his name). The funny part about the whole thing was when they were bowling they all appealed for almost every ball. We all took turns as umpires and I can sympathize with you with all those appeals. I really felt the pressure each time and eventually gave one of our guys out LBW. Later on he really gave it to me saying why the hell did I do that. The other memory is the NZ fast bowler whacking one of the Indians iun the face with one of his bouncers.

      Love to hear more stories if you have the time. By the way did Sunni ever talk to you after the game?
      FFC: Established 1883

      Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

      Comment

      • Sockeye Salmon
        Bulldog Team of the Century
        • Jan 2007
        • 6365

        #48
        Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

        Thanks EJ. Love 'em.





        Now, that thing with Dilip Doshi and the dwarf ..

        Comment

        • LostDoggy
          WOOF Member
          • Jan 2007
          • 8307

          #49
          Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

          Originally posted by bornadog
          By the way did Sunni ever talk to you after the game?
          Not likely

          Comment

          • Twodogs
            Administrator
            • Nov 2006
            • 27645

            #50
            Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

            Thanks for the recollections EJ. Some of the best stuff I've ever read on the 'net. Without pissing in your pocket mate I feel truly privileged to have read your posts.



            I know you said that was it but could I ask your opinion of Darrell Hair and his treatment after his no balling of Muralitharan? Personally I thought that Hair had balls and was very badly done by the ICC.
            They say Burt Lancaster has one, but I don't believe them.

            Comment

            • LostDoggy
              WOOF Member
              • Jan 2007
              • 8307

              #51
              Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

              Originally posted by Twodogs
              Thanks for the recollections EJ. Some of the best stuff I've ever read on the 'net. Without pissing in your pocket mate I feel truly privileged to have read your posts.



              I know you said that was it but could I ask your opinion of Darrell Hair and his treatment after his no balling of Muralitharan? Personally I thought that Hair had balls and was very badly done by the ICC.
              Darrell thought what everybody knew and did what other umpires didn't have the guts to do. The Administrators oouldn't fall over themselves quickly enough to get rid of him.

              More important to them to bow down to the Sri Lankans than to support a man umpiring according to the Laws and spirit of the game. If they would leave these matters to the umpires, they will deal with them. And far more effectively than the administrators/politicians can ever do.

              Comment

              • Twodogs
                Administrator
                • Nov 2006
                • 27645

                #52
                Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

                Originally posted by EJ Smith
                Darrell thought what everybody knew and did what other umpires didn't have the guts to do. The Administrators oouldn't fall over themselves quickly enough to get rid of him.

                More important to them to bow down to the Sri Lankans than to support a man umpiring according to the Laws and spirit of the game. If they would leave these matters to the umpires, they will deal with them. And far more effectively than the administrators/politicians can ever do.

                Yep. That's pretty much my take on it as well. I thought his treatment and the 'solution' the ICC came up with was outrageous.
                They say Burt Lancaster has one, but I don't believe them.

                Comment

                • Sockeye Salmon
                  Bulldog Team of the Century
                  • Jan 2007
                  • 6365

                  #53
                  Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

                  Originally posted by EJ Smith
                  Darrell thought what everybody knew and did what other umpires didn't have the guts to do. The Administrators oouldn't fall over themselves quickly enough to get rid of him.

                  More important to them to bow down to the Sri Lankans than to support a man umpiring according to the Laws and spirit of the game. If they would leave these matters to the umpires, they will deal with them. And far more effectively than the administrators/politicians can ever do.
                  Do you think you would have called him?

                  Comment

                  • The Coon Dog
                    Bulldog Team of the Century
                    • Jan 2007
                    • 7575

                    #54
                    Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

                    Thanks EJ, love reading this sort of stuff.

                    Just a few quick ones:

                    Best batsmen you saw?
                    Best quickie?
                    Best spinner?
                    Best fielder?
                    Biggest prick out on the field?
                    Genuine nice guy?
                    [COLOR="Red"][B][U][COLOR="Blue"]85, 92, 97, 98, 08, 09, 10... Break the curse![/COLOR][/U][/B][/COLOR]

                    Comment

                    • LostDoggy
                      WOOF Member
                      • Jan 2007
                      • 8307

                      #55
                      Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

                      Originally posted by Sockeye Salmon
                      Do you think you would have called him?
                      Absolutely, every day of the week.

                      I feel very strongly about the issue of chucking. The legitimate delivery of the ball is what sets the game apart and must be retained. Now we have a situation where umpires are asked to adjudicate on this 15 degrees rubbish. How can they posibly tell whether it's 15,16 or14? it's nonsense made to appease those who set out to thwart the Law.

                      The game had no issue with chucking from the 60's (when the Law was changed) until Muri and others burst on the scene and the whole issue became political.

                      There is no place for politics in the game. Not that the Asia bloc will acknowledge this fact.

                      Comment

                      • LostDoggy
                        WOOF Member
                        • Jan 2007
                        • 8307

                        #56
                        Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

                        Originally posted by The Coon Dog
                        Thanks EJ, love reading this sort of stuff.

                        Just a few quick ones:

                        Best batsmen you saw?
                        Best quickie?
                        Best spinner?
                        Best fielder?
                        Biggest prick out on the field?
                        Genuine nice guy?
                        Best batsmen you saw? Can't decide - Richards, G Chappell or one which might suprise you, KJ Hughes
                        Best quickie? Lillie by a mile
                        Best spinner? Ashley Mallett out of a poor lot
                        Best fielder? Richards
                        Biggest prick out on the field? Imran Khan
                        Genuine nice guy? Max Walker/Doug Walters, Jim Higgs

                        Comment

                        • Mantis
                          Hall of Fame
                          • Apr 2007
                          • 15194

                          #57
                          Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

                          Thanks for sharing these stories with us EJ... I could read this sort of stuff all day.

                          Comment

                          • Murphy'sLore
                            WOOF Member
                            • Sep 2009
                            • 2085

                            #58
                            Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

                            Wonderful stuff, EJ, thank you.

                            Comment

                            • Ozza
                              Bulldog Team of the Century
                              • Mar 2008
                              • 6380

                              #59
                              Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

                              Really good to hear from an umpires perspective as well. We don't often hear about the game from that viewpoint - its great.

                              Comment

                              • Desipura
                                WOOF Member
                                • Mar 2008
                                • 4344

                                #60
                                Re: Reflections of Time in the Middle

                                Thanks Rex, when is the book coming out? haha
                                I would definately buy it!

                                No mention of the last game you umpired, what a memorable game it was between Australia and England at Melbourne on 26 December to 30 December 1982, a remarkable match won by England by 3 runs only after a valiant 10th wicket partnership of 70 runs between Allan Border and Jeff Thomson was ended by a juggled catch.

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