Law 43 January/February, 2017
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Law 43 January/February, 2017 Without an umpire’s signal, it’s hard to determine when exactly a ball is presumed to be dead by everyone on the field. (See article, “Ambiguity in Death” page 7.) In This Issue: • From the Editor • …And the President • From the Desk of the Umpiring Manager • No Sign Yet of Call for SACA Umpire Manager Application • Ambiguity in Death • Planning for the 2017 Crockett Shield – The Mission Continues • Macca’s Book Review • Cryptic Cricketers • Cricket Trivia Crossword Solutions • VCAUSA Theatre Night • An Unusual Request • VCAUSA Calendar and Advertising VCA Umpires’ & Scorers’ Association Newsletter Vol. 23 No. 5, 2016-2017 season Page 1 Law 43 Magazine of the Victorian Cricket Association Umpires’ and Scorers’ Association Incorporated. Cricket Victoria (CV) is acknowledged for the printing of hard copies as well as the electronic distribution to the CV Panel Members. CONTENTS From the Editor..……………………………………………… 3 …. And the President – Presidential Musings…………….. 4 No Sign Yet of Call for SACA Umpire Manager App’ions...4 From the Desk of the Umpiring Manager………………….. 5 Ambiguity in Death………………………….……….………. 7 Planning for the 2017 Crockett Shield – The Mission Continues…………..12 Macca’s Book Review……………………………………….. 13 Cryptic Cricketers……………………………………………..13 Cricket Trivia Crossword Solutions………………………….14 VCAUSA Theatre Night………… …………………………….15 An Unusual Request…………………………………………..15 VCAUSA Calendar and Advertising………………….…….. 16 VCAUSA COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT PRESIDENT: ALAN MCCARTHY IMMEDIATE PP & VICE-PRESIDENT: GERRY SCHEMBRI SECRETARY: DAN BOMFORD TREASURER: TREVOR FINLAYSON COMMITTEE MEMBERS: JOHN COLLINS, LUKE EDWARDS, JOHN RICHARDS, GLENN SCHACHE, ROB STURGEON & TONY VENTURA OTHER OFFICE HOLDERS AND CO-ORDINATORS BADGES & ACCESSORIES: GLENN CUMMING LAW 43 EDITOR: TREVOR FINLAYSON SOCIAL ORGANISER: GERRY SCHEMBRI HISTORIAN: BILL ELLEMOR MISCELLANEOUS APPOINTMENTS: DARRELL HOLT CURRENT LIFE MEMBERS J.R. Collins (1976) W.H. Howieson (1979) K. Allday (1980) G.M. Thies (1981) D.N. Bomford (1989) C. Andrews (1990) R.C. Bailhache (1994) D.W. Holt (1995) N.J. Grant (1997) D.L. Byrne (2000) R.F. Francione (2001) L.J. King (2002) W.R. Ellemor (2003) P. Hooper (2005) A.L. Eldridge (2006) J.L. Collins (2010) J.A. Howard (2011) P.J. Shanahan (2016) CORRESPONDENCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS: ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO THE SECRETARY DAN BOMFORD, PO BOX 2692, MOUNT WAVERLEY 3149 VCAUSA WEBSITE: http://vcausa.vic.cricket.com.au Volume 23 Number 5 2016-2017 Page 2 FROM THE EDITOR As I write, we are witnessing some additions to the long list of Test Match Cricket statistics, during the Australia/Pakistan series. One aspect of Test Match Cricket is its potential to generate yet more fascinating statistical data. David Warner’s century before lunch (100* with a final score of 113) on the opening morning in Sydney is a case in point. Not only did he join the famous quartet who have previously achieved this feat (Victor Trumper, 4th Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, (1902), 103* with a final score of 104; Charlie “Governor General” Macartney, 3rd Test at Headingley, Leeds, (1926), 112* with a final score of 151; Don (later Sir Don) Bradman, 3rd Test at Headingley, Leeds, (1930), 105* with a final score of 334; and Majid Khan (Pakistan vs New Zealand), 3rd Test at The National Stadium, Karachi, (1976), 108* with a final score of 112), but he became the first batsman to achieve this statistic on Australian soil. The following day, Peter Handscomb joined Test Match statistics ranks with Herbie “Horsehoe” Collins who had previously (1920-21) been the only Australian Test batsman to score half centuries in each of his first four Test Matches. Long may such important data for “Cricket Trivia Quizzes” be recorded! Speaking of Cricket Trivia, in this issue you will find not only the solutions to the “Cricket Trivia Crossword” offered to you in the November, 2016 issue (page 14) but you will be challenged with the “Cryptic Cricketers” quiz (commencing on page 13) for which I express thanks to Kevan Carroll. Answers to this quiz will be published in the next issue (March). For the “Pres/Vice-Pres Musings” column in this issue it is the turn of “the Pres” himself, when he reflects on a busy January of “extra-curricular” umpiring for many readers, and then focusses your attention towards Easter, for which you should also turn to page 12 and read the ongoing column, “Planning for the 2017 Crockett Shield – The Mission Continues.” This month I am grateful to Chris Allan for his most interesting article on what one can learn about the great Bob Crockett with a visit to Cricket Willow in Daylesford. A special article in this issue which I trust you find of considerable interest is entitled, “Ambiguity in Death.” I am grateful to Darrell Holt for drawing this article to my attention and I acknowledge “The Cricket Monthly” for permission to reproduce it. “Macca’s Book Review” column continues with Alan’s comments on “Hard Jacka” by Michael Lawriwsky. I also urge you to check the usual VCAUSA Calendar for future events. Finally, there are three situations for your consideration, two under the titles “What is your decision?” are incidents from the recent Under-18 Girls’ Carnival and the third, “An Unusual Request”, from a Premier match, with thanks to David Meagher. Trevor Finlayson ----------------------------------------------------- WHAT IS YOUR DECISION? You are the bowler’s end umpire and note that the bowler, while awaiting the throw from the outfield, is standing with one shoe a few cms behind the popping crease, i.e., between the crease and the stumps. The striker, in turning for a second run, touches down on the bowler’s shoe but then the bat “bounces” and touches the ground in front of the crease. Has this been a “Short Run”? ------------------------------------------------------ Volume 23 Number 5 2016-2017 Page 3 … AND THE PRESIDENT – PRESIDENTIAL MUSINGS Happy New Year to all umpire and scorer members of the VCAUSA and their families and to all readers of Law 43. A busy January has seen many of us umpiring or scoring in Victorian Under-age Championship and Country Week matches. I enjoy working with new colleagues and seeing up and coming players. Our preparations for the Crockett Shield defence in Adelaide on Easter Saturday are well advanced and we hope to win back the Butler Trophy on Easter Sunday as well. A major challenge is to ensure we take a competitive touring group interstate, given the difficulties of time, distance and family commitments. With training through February and March and a match against the Mt Waverley CC Veterans we should be nicely tuned up to take on our old friends from the SACUSA. While relaxing over Christmas I read what Neville Cardus wrote, “The solemn truth is that the umpire is the most important man on the field …If the umpire falters, everybody in the game is drawn into the range of mortal frailty. All day long, ball after ball, the umpire must keep his mind intensely on the game. The amount of concentration he is expected to perform every day is almost an abuse of human endurance.” (The Umpire – 1934 quoted in The Picador Book of Cricket, R. Guha Editor, Pan Books, London, 2006 ISBN 0 330 44806 4 at p. 401). Then again (at p. 460), in Wisden (1961) Umpire Alec Skelding’s obituary recounted that, “In a game in 1948 he turned down a strong appeal by the Australian touring team. A little later a dog ran on to the field and one of the Australians captured it, carried it to Skelding and said, “Here you are. All you want now is a white stick.” I have been searching for stories or quotes about scorers and scoring. The closest I can come to is adapting one of Sir Donald Bradman’s general remarks in The Art of Cricket, “Attention to detail denotes enthusiasm, without which there can be no good or really enjoyable cricket.” Inhuman levels of concentration must also be possessed by scorers and their work must surely be worthy of greater recognition. Alan McCarthy ----------------------------------------------------- NO SIGN YET OF CALL FOR SACA UMPIRE MANAGER APPLICATIONS Four weeks after former South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) “Umpiring and Coaching Development Manager”, Neil Poulton, resigned from his position unexpectedly, there is no public sign that any recruitment action to call for applications for his position is underway. Poulton joined the SACA as its “Umpire Manager” in July, 2008. (from Playing the Game, No. 1999-10098, 8th December, 2016) ----------------------------------------------------- WHAT IS YOUR DECISION? In an under-age match, the ‘keeper is standing up to the stumps and is therefore obliged, according to the “local rules”, to wear a helmut with a face grill. The ball is snicked by the batter. It then impacts the ‘keeper high up on the chest and just touches the lowest piece of the helmut face grill. The keeper clasps the ball with her gloves and retains it between the gloves and her chest. Is the batter out caught? Volume 23 Number 5 2016-2017 Page 4 FROM THE DESK OF THE UMPIRING MANAGER Welcome to the January/February edition of “From the desk of the Umpire Manager.” At this point in time we are almost ready to begin the finals series. It only seems like yesterday that the season began after the Bulldogs won the AFL premiership. For all those Doggies supporters I draw your attention to the photo below. I was lucky enough to have Christmas lunch with “The Cup.” During late December and early January I spent a considerable amount of time refereeing several WBBL matches. Several people have asked what this role entails so I thought I would let you know what the role and responsibilities of this position are.