Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

[comrade]

With all the walk/don't walk talk, it got me thinking about some bad decisions that have gone against me.

-----

I'll never forget my absolute worst.

I was opening the batting and I was flying. Tiny ground, fast outfield. A big score was mine for the taking.

I'd raced to 30 from a few overs when a new bowler came on. Think Chris Harris from NZ, a mere dobbler. Cannon fodder. I asked for centre again to re-focus and prepare myself for the carnage that was about to unfold. His first ball, a sad little leg cutter, rolled out of his hand so slowly I thought it would stop in mid air. Being his first delivery, I decided to give it some respect and see if he extracted any movement from the pitch.

I plonked my front foot down to play a forward defensive shot, bat solidly beside my pad. Boycott would have been proud. To my surprise, the ball deviated slightly and took a thick edge, bouncing just before 2nd slip. The bowler went up with a groan and I turned around to see the ball sneak through the slipper's legs towards third man so took off for a single.

Suddenly, things got weird. The opposition started laughing and whooping, like 11 jacked up hyenas. I looked up at the umpire, an obese specimen with a face only a mother could love. His chubby, sausage like index finger was raised in the air.

I was out.

I looked back at my stumps. Perhaps I had trodden on them in my haste to run off for a single. Alas, the castle was undisturbed. I shuffled towards the umpire:

"How am I out?"
"LBW"

I stammered something about edging it through slips but this not so jolly fat man would hear none of it.

"You're out. Piss off"

I trudged off the ground, my dreams shattered.

I was 9 years old. Hopefully I'll get over it one day.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

Playing C or D grade in 2000. We were needing a breakthrough. I got a nick to the keeper from arcing down some chin-music at the batsman - a wild swing at a ball rising outside off. I'd broken the partnership, we celebrated, the nick was heard in the neighbouring suburb, and can still be heard to this day.

Only person who didn't hear it was the 83 year old umpire (just doing his job) who gave it not out.

The batsman sheepishly said sorry mate at the end of the over.

Disgrace.

[Greystache]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

In a final I rolled my ankle and had to bat with a runner.

Early on I hit the ball and called through a single, not tight but the bowling team still took a shot at the stumps and got a direct hit at the non-stikers end. The umpire stood on the wrong side to adjudicate a run out (and obviously forgot there was a runner out there), saw two batsmen standing at the same end, and immediately gave it run out. When I pointed out the runner was behind him and well in he realised he'd made mistake but refused to admit it and instead said "I saw him out the corner of my eye and he was just out". This despite the runner being about 10m directly behind him.

Despite the other umpire advising him he'd made mistake he refused to admit it and still gave me out.

One of the most disgraceful examples of an umpire never being wrong I've ever seen.

[Greystache]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

Actually another just came to mind, I was playing in a Sunday Cup game in England.

I was on 96 and had hit 22 fours against a terrible team. The umpire had pulled up sick in the morning so a local volunteered to umpire. The scoreboard had my score on it so I knew I only needed to hit another 4 for my century and there was a doddling off spinner bowling. I charged early and outside leg to hit inside out over cover where the was a big gap but the bowler saw me move and threw it down leg side so I'd be hitting into a packed legside. Rather than risk hitting it in the air I just kicked out my pad and blocked it to midwicket, and sensing some pressure building there was a slight ooh from the keeper and close in fielder.

I turned my back and walked back to the crease and heard a couple of shrieks from the grandstand, only to turn around and see the umpire with his finger up. I asked what the hell he was doing, he said "you're out LBW". After a few choice words I had no choice but to walk. After the game about 5 people fronted him in the bar to ask why the hell he gave it out, his respone was "I've never given an LBW before and what more memorable time would there be to give your first one".

I found out later he was a bit "special".

[LostDoggy]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

In a final I rolled my ankle and had to bat with a runner.

Early on I hit the ball and called through a single, not tight but the bowling team still took a shot at the stumps and got a direct hit at the non-stikers end. The umpire stood on the wrong side to adjudicate a run out (and obviously forgot there was a runner out there), saw two batsmen standing at the same end, and immediately gave it run out. When I pointed out the runner was behind him and well in he realised he'd made mistake but refused to admit it and instead said "I saw him out the corner of my eye and he was just out". This despite the runner being about 10m directly behind him.

Despite the other umpire advising him he'd made mistake he refused to admit it and still gave me out.

One of the most disgraceful examples of an umpire never being wrong I've ever seen.

Hopefully it still haunts him to this day

[mighty_west]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

Playing A Grade, on an extremely windy & cold [and rain at times] day opening the batting, because of the high winds bails taken off the stumps, having a medium pace bowler with no swing due to the weather conditions bowl me around my legs after missing the ball trying to flick it fine, no sound what so ever with ball apparently hitting leg stump, one fieldsman went up [bowler didn't appeal], ump gave me out.

All of my team mates asking how I was out, I told them I have no idea, and naturally you seem to get the bad run with decisions when going through a bad run of form.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

B Turf in the old FCA playing for Laurels against Bucks I think at Angliss. I opened the batting and had barely got going when I got a full toss waist heading down leg. I shaped whip it away (ok hoist it out of the ground) and missed. The ball went out towards backward square and the non-striker called for a run as the Bucks boys appealed. I took a quick glance and set off, when a huge cheer went up and there was the umpires finger giving me out. Granted I hadn't hit it, but this ball was high and way down leg.

Anyway I lost it. I have a fairly short fuse at the best of times and suffer from white line fever. I uttered a couple of expletives towards the umpire, (more like a continual stream). I got about half way to the boundary and the umpire called out that if I continued in this manner I would be reported. Majorly pissed off I snapped, stopped turned around and said:

"Why don't you f$%k'ing report this?" and proceeded to bare my a*se.

Needless to say he did and I received a 6 game ban with a further 6 weeks suspended. Missed the rest of the season and went down in Laurel folk law.

The irony of it all was first game of the next season we had the same umpire for our first game. I apologised for my behaviour before the game. Whilst we were bowling I was fielding at mid-off. We appealed for an LBW which he gave. We were celebrating and the returning to our positions when he said to me "that was out wasn't it?" I looked at him funny and said "Yes". He said "good because he wasn't really watching, but figured our appeal was pretty confident".

[Bornadog]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

"Why don't you f$%k'ing report this?" and proceeded to bare my a*se. .

Now that is a ripper

[anfo27]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

B Turf in the old FCA playing for Laurels against Bucks I think at Angliss. I opened the batting and had barely got going when I got a full toss waist heading down leg. I shaped whip it away (ok hoist it out of the ground) and missed. The ball went out towards backward square and the non-striker called for a run as the Bucks boys appealed. I took a quick glance and set off, when a huge cheer went up and there was the umpires finger giving me out. Granted I hadn't hit it, but this ball was high and way down leg.

Anyway I lost it. I have a fairly short fuse at the best of times and suffer from white line fever. I uttered a couple of expletives towards the umpire, (more like a continual stream). I got about half way to the boundary and the umpire called out that if I continued in this manner I would be reported. Majorly pissed off I snapped, stopped turned around and said:

"Why don't you f$%k'ing report this?" and proceeded to bare my a*se.

Needless to say he did and I received a 6 game ban with a further 6 weeks suspended. Missed the rest of the season and went down in Laurel folk law.

The irony of it all was first game of the next season we had the same umpire for our first game. I apologised for my behaviour before the game. Whilst we were bowling I was fielding at mid-off. We appealed for an LBW which he gave. We were celebrating and the returning to our positions when he said to me "that was out wasn't it?" I looked at him funny and said "Yes". He said "good because he wasn't really watching, but figured our appeal was pretty confident".

Nice one freddie i like your style.

[anfo27]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

I remember in junior cricket we had some absolute stinkers umpiring in the SCA. I remember 1 fellow who happened to be a teacher at my primary school as well who was a complete slob of a man.
Anyway i was bowling on this occasion & had hit the batsman on the pad & jumped up confidently for an appeal. The umpire had actually dozed off & our appeal had woken him from his slumber & he appeared quite startled as we all looked at him for a decision. Once he realised what had happened he decided to give the benefit of doubt to the batsman & give him not out. This umpire had a history of this & heard on numerous occasions of bowlers having 8 ball overs because he would have a kip all lose count .
Thankfully my clubs seniors were not part of the SCA as these shocking umpires backed up after juniors to do first & second grade.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

Looked good at the Origin last night Fredi, just need to work on the tan.

[Twodogs]

Re: Worst Decision You've Ever Copped

B Turf in the old FCA playing for Laurels against Bucks I think at Angliss. I opened the batting and had barely got going when I got a full toss waist heading down leg. I shaped whip it away (ok hoist it out of the ground) and missed. The ball went out towards backward square and the non-striker called for a run as the Bucks boys appealed. I took a quick glance and set off, when a huge cheer went up and there was the umpires finger giving me out. Granted I hadn't hit it, but this ball was high and way down leg.

Anyway I lost it. I have a fairly short fuse at the best of times and suffer from white line fever. I uttered a couple of expletives towards the umpire, (more like a continual stream). I got about half way to the boundary and the umpire called out that if I continued in this manner I would be reported. Majorly pissed off I snapped, stopped turned around and said:

"Why don't you f$%k'ing report this?" and proceeded to bare my a*se.

Needless to say he did and I received a 6 game ban with a further 6 weeks suspended. Missed the rest of the season and went down in Laurel folk law.

The irony of it all was first game of the next season we had the same umpire for our first game. I apologised for my behaviour before the game. Whilst we were bowling I was fielding at mid-off. We appealed for an LBW which he gave. We were celebrating and the returning to our positions when he said to me "that was out wasn't it?" I looked at him funny and said "Yes". He said "good because he wasn't really watching, but figured our appeal was pretty confident".

Laurel, Bucks, ANA, Footscray City, Footscray YMCA, Balmral, Totty. They were the days.