History of the New South Wales Cricket Umpires Association - 1913 to 1988

Formation and Early Years

The first recorded efforts to form an umpires' association were in 1904, but apparently that Association did not survive for much longer than a year.

Twenty-four people attended a meeting in the NSW Cricket Association rooms on 7 September 1904. A constitution was drawn up by a committee and that constitution was adopted by a meeting on 16 September.

The last minutes which we have recorded were for a meeting on 7 September 1905. Those minutes were signed by Charles Nicholls on 27 September, but there are no further records of meetings until a meeting of the Cricket Association executive committee was convened with umpires on Friday 15 August 1913.

Sydney Smith Jr. a member of the executive committee chaired the meeting at which there were 42 umpires present.

It was clear from the outset that the new Association was to be formed "under the control and authority of the New South Wales Cricket Association." How much under the control became apparent in the 1920s when there was a move to abolish the Umpires' Association.

R (Dick) Callaway was appointed secretary pro tem, and a committee, comprising A (Alf) Jones, W Curran, WG French, JA Turnbull and J Laing, was appointed to draw up the constitution.

The constitution was adopted on 28 August and office-bearers were elected. WH Mitchell was elected the first President. R Callaway and A Jones were elected Secretary and Treasurer respectively. It would seem that the draft constitution was an edited version of the Cricket Association's constitution.

The new Association's primary objectives:

"To promote the efficiency and welfare of umpires in the interests of cricket generally,

(a) by strictly enforcing the Laws and Rules of Cricket as laid down by the Marylebone Cricket Club and the NSW Cricket Association,

(b) by adopting a uniform interpretation of the said Laws and Rules,

(c) By protecting the umpires appointed by the Association who may from time to time officiate in matches arranged by or played under the auspices of the NSW Cricket Association."

1

The New South Wales Cricket Umpires' Association was launched.

Almost immediately the question of fees became an issue with the Cricket Association. Agreement was not reached because of the inadequacy of association finances.

The fees varied from ground to ground, according to their accessibility. The fees for Hurstville and Manly were increased from 3/6 to 4/-, and the Domain fee rose from 2/- to 2/6.

Interstate and grade cricket was played during the first season of the war (1914-15) but ceased thereafter because of the absence of many players at "the front". Consequently the Cricket Association was deprived of its chief source of funds - match receipts. At the start of the 1915-16 season, it did not have enough funds to pay the umpires and it was suggested to clubs that players each contribute threepence per Saturday to pay the umpires.

From its inception the Umpires' Association became an arbiter on interpretation of the Laws, as the minutes books continually refer to letters being received from suburban and country umpires' and cricket associations seeking rulings. Generally, the meetings voted a decision immediately. But contentious questions posed a problem: the MCC was 12000 miles away, with mails taking six weeks one way and telegraph too expensive for protracted discussions. Thus, when its President, WH Mitchell, announced in March 1914 that he was about to visit England, he was given a list of questions to raise with the MCC Secretary. He reported back to the October meeting with the results.

The meeting on 10 December 1913 decided to start what we today call "Rules and Rulings" at meetings, but not until 2 December 1914 did the minutes record any questions. Interesting comparisons can be made between questions asked then and questions asked today.

The role of the Association in fostering friendship between umpires developed through social cricket matches which were played with kindred associations from the Centennial Park League, the Illawarra District and a number of suburban associations including St George and Balmain.

"Smoke concerts" were a popular social activity, and the minutes record a number of visits by Association officials to fraternal gatherings in the suburbs. The first big social occasion, however, was on 24 July 1915 - a Banquet at 4/- per person at the rooms of the Fresh Food and Ice Company…at which no alcoholic liquor was provided because of the war.

The war had its effect in other ways on the Association. Although most of its members may have been too old to enlist, some did enlist and were suitably farewelled, and welcomed back on their return. The worst effect, though, was the cancellation of the grade premiership competition and interstate matches. This must have led to a loss of interest, as attendances at meetings declined to near the quorum of 20. There were a number of appeals for new members.

2

Unfortunately, membership statistics are not available after 1916 when the Association had 59 members. Retired members were contacted to see if they could increase the numbers.

The office-bearers in this early period were the stalwart Dick Callaway as Secretary and delegate to the Cricket Association, with Alf Jones as Treasurer. The presidency changed annually, a practice that continued into the mid-1920s when George Borwick began his innings of 20 years.

After the traumas of formation and of the disruption caused by the war, the Association was on a firm footing to face the 1920s, with the first Test tour for ten years about to take place and First-class players returning from the war.

The Thirties

These were the years of great difficulty for cricket, with the trauma of the Bodyline series in the early part, and the disruption caused by World War II at the end of the decade.

In the thick of the Bodyline series was George Borwick who, with George Hele, umpired all five Tests. Despite their fears that they would see an Australian batsman badly hurt, there was nothing that they could do under the Laws as they were then.

For standing through the tensest Test series ever played, the umpires' fees were - Hele 70 pounds, being 10 pounds for the Adelaide (his "home") Test and 15 pounds for the "away" Tests, and Borwick 65 pounds, including his two Tests in his home city.

The first tour of the 1930s was by the fledgling West Indies side with Learie Constantine. NSW umpires who stood in Tests included Borwick and WG (Wal) French (second Test at Sydney) and French and H (Harry) Armstrong (fifth Test at Sydney). It would appear, although the records do not show it, that the moves by New South Wales to share the work around had borne fruit.

By the start of the decade, the Depression had Australia in its grip. It brought problems for umpires and the Association did all it could to help its members. Members who were out of work were invited to let the Executive Committee know, and their subscription would be waived. The Cricket Association was asked to give preference to unemployed members (whose names were given to the Association privately) in allocating midweek matches. It was also asked to try to assign these members to matches near their homes to minimise travelling expenses. Unemployed members could collect their match allowances weekly instead of monthly.

At 9/- a half-day and 15/- a full-day match, these allowances were very useful. The 1931 dinner was cancelled, and the sum of 80 pounds which had been allocated to it was distributed to out-of-work members.

3

The thirties saw the retirement from active umpiring of Alf Jones who had, in his words, "had 42 years in the White Coat" and he thought he had done his part. In his first 30 years, he said once that he had missed only one Saturday - and then, when he was locked up on a jury. His Test career spanned the seasons 1901-02 to 1928-29. The Herald published nearly a column of his reminisces on Test players he had seen, but, regrettably, nothing on umpires he had known. Alf Jones continued to give sterling service to the Association as Treasurer until 1939, and still attended meetings well into the 1940s.

There was one new face destined to be around for some time. H (Herb) Elphinston, who suffered various misspellings of his name until he became well known, was elected in September 1934.

As the old faces left, the George Borwick era began. Up to the 1935 Annual General Meeting, the presidency of the Association had been shared around. No one member served more than one one-year term. However, in 1935, convention was waived and George Borwick was nominated for the presidency. No one opposed his nomination and subsequent election.

For the 1935-36 Season the Cricket Association reduced the umpires' allowance to 8/- per half-day and 12/- per full-day. The finances of the Cricket Association had been hit by the loss of Don Bradman to South Australia, which resulted in a large drop in Sheffield Shield attendances at the SCG.

The Association continued to encourage the formation of country associations. When business warranted, annual conferences of affiliated bodies were held in Sydney, often during Country Week. As well, social cricket matches were played against other Sydney based associations. The many entries in the minutes noting these occasions are evidence of their success.

Towards the end of the decade, the work of the umpires grew. The grade competition was enlarged so that 92 umpires were needed for each round. The war came, but it seems there was "business as usual" according to the minutes of the several meetings after 3 September 1939. An "Umpires' Night" was broadcast in a sporting session over radio 2CH on 20 October 1939, attended by the committee and five other members with their wives. The Association also came to an arrangement with Mr Bert Button of 2CH for first- grade scores to be phoned in after each day's play, the station paying the Association three guineas per week.

The Association cut back its annual subscription from one pound to 10/-.

The first reference to the war in the minutes came when a Mr Parker, having been called up for naval duty, reported that he would be unavailable to officiate in matches, and was given leave.

So ended the 1930s - cricket umpires, like so many other cricketing Australians, were at war.

4

The Forties to the Eighties

The war years started with the Umpires' Association experiencing a shortage of funds. There was not enough money in 1940 for the annual report to be printed and distributed in the usual way. In later war years, shortage of paper prevented the report from being printed. The 1940 Annual Dinner was cancelled, and, for most of the war years, the dinner was not held.

The Cricket Association decided that grade cricket would continue but without the award of premiership pennants and honours. The Sheffield Shield competition was suspended, although there were some interstate matches played. The Cricket Association, to help our Association financially, offered an annual grant of 25 pounds. This grant was accepted.

Membership numbers had declined. Meeting attendances also declined, by an average of 50% compared with the 1930s. Members who had enlisted in the armed forces received leave of absence from the Association for the duration of the war or until they were discharged from service. The number of active members at the end of 1944 totalled 51 persons.

Wartime economies affected everyone. Umpires found that they could get no special issue of clothing coupons for their white coats and black trousers. All avenues were explored to maintain supplies. Clubs were reduced to using stocks of two-piece balls, and, as the war continued, to recycling balls by the use of duco or varnish to renew the shine. The Association sought a ruling on the recycled balls and was told by the grade committee that ducoing was acceptable but that varnishing was not.

The end of the war brought immediate benefits to cricket, including an increase in fees for the 1945-46 season to 10/- per half-day and 15/- per full- day.

There was an immediate increase in applications for membership, and attendances at meetings returned to the level of the 1930s.

Post war economies still affected the Association. Some meetings were curtailed. Social activities were restricted. The lack of equipment meant that the Association could not resume its cricket matches for some years.

The 1946-47 season brightened the outlook. Sheffield Shield cricket resumed and, better still, after ten years, Test cricket resumed with a tour by Wally Hammond's MCC team. The Test umpiring was carried out by George Borwick, and Jack Scott of South Australia. Umpiring fees increased, and the Association's subscription reverted to one pound.

The secretaryship, carried on during the war years by Wal French, passed to Fred Lyons. When the changeover occurred at the 1946 annual meeting, French made the observation that he and Alf Jones were the sole survivors of the Association's founding 43 years earlier. Alf Jones died in February 1949 in his late eighties.

5

Some difficulties persisted from the war years. There was an urgent need to increase membership, but there were no copies of the Laws of Cricket in print. The Cricket Association did not want to incur the expense of printing them on the grounds that the MCC was considering several changes.

In the last years of the forties, social functions resumed - cricket matches with old rivals Illawarra and Newcastle, and the annual dinner. By 1949, the cost of the annual dinner was 10/6 per person, compared with the 5/- charged in the Association's early years.

The Association was able to resume one of its principal tasks, that of improving the standard of umpiring throughout the State. At the close of the decade, members of the Examination Board were travelling to country centres to examine local umpires and to help them to re-establish their own examining boards. An innovation was a quiz night on the Laws of Cricket for grade captains.

The Indian tour of 1947-48 saw the retirement from First-class cricket of George Borwick. He was succeeded in the Test arena by another member, Herb Elphinston.

In November 1949, EF (Ted) Wykes joined the Association and proceeded to register an outstanding record in First-class matches including Test, International and Sheffield Shield appointments.

George Borwick continued as President and, under his guidance, the Association recovered from the difficulties and restrictions imposed by the war, and made ready for the 1950s.

The 1950s saw the end of what could well be called "The Borwick Era". George Borwick retired as President at the 1955 Annual Meeting, after a total of 21 years in that office. He had joined the Association on 2 September 1925. He was elected to the Executive in 1927. He became Vice-President in 1928 and was elected President in 1929 for the one year as was Association policy then. He was a member of the Executive until he retired in 1966. He was again elected Vice-President in 1934 and in 1935 became President again to commence his long term in that capacity. He was a member of the Examination Board from 1929 until 1966. In this role, he made more than 25 official trips to all parts of the State to lecture to and examine local umpires. Coupling these with the applicants he helped to examine in the metropolitan area, he is estimated to have been concerned with the testing of at least 1000 umpires. And when he "retired", he accepted an invitation to be our Patron, which position he held until his death on 1 August 1981.

It was during his term of office that members of the Examination Board began visiting Teachers' Colleges, so that teachers could learn and be examined on the Laws of Cricket.

At the time of his retirement from the presidency, he had missed only two meetings of the Association, apart from those when he was officiating in

6

matches outside New South Wales. His services to the game of cricket were recognised when he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 1971.

George stood in 84 First-class fixtures, of which 77 were on the SCG. His appointments included 24 Tests - 15 Australia v England, five Australia v South Africa, three Australia v India and one Australia v West Indies. The 50 th Annual Report of the Association estimated that he had "stood" for 1400 days in cricket matches - or nearly five and a half years, based on a five-day working week.

Legend has it that he was never a successful cricketer. He used to claim that, in his only game, he was bowled for a "duck" first ball in each innings. The fielding side, taking pity on him, gave him another innings - whereupon he was bowled again, first ball. He always maintained that this should have earned him a place in Wisden's Almanack.

Of course, he did not stop his active membership of the Association on his retirement as President. He became a "travelling umpire", going from ground to ground on Saturdays, observing the work of members to help them with their techniques and to see that standards were maintained. He was elected a Life Member of our Association in 1938. In 1966, he was elected the Association's first Patron. He was also elected a Life Member of the New South Wales Cricket Association in 1964.

George Borwick was succeeded by the long-serving Vice-President, AB Solomon, who died suddenly in March 1956. He was succeeded by A (Arch) Easton and CE (Cyril) Wigzell who each served a year as President. Then AA (Allen) Fallins was elected to the Presidency in 1958.

The Association was fortunate to have two long-serving officers in Herb Elphinston (Treasurer since 1939) and Fred Lyons (Secretary from 1945) to help provide continuity.

In 1952, a move to relax dress standards was rejected by the New South Wales Cricket Association. In 1957, members were instructed to wear the official badge of the Association on their coat pocket.

At the end of the fifties, the Association introduced training for players to the level of player-umpire.

This was one of the most important decades in the life of the NSW Cricket Umpires' Association. The Association marked its Golden Anniversary with a dinner addressed by Sir Donald Bradman, and the publication of a Golden Anniversary Report and history. In furthering its role as an educator for all grades of umpires, the Association prepared two coaching films.

One of the important law changes was to the No-ball Law, to switch the emphasis from the back foot to the front foot. George Borwick and Ted Wykes

7

became members of a special sub-committee of the Cricket Association, formed to experiment with the front foot rule.

The experimental Law was introduced for the 1963-64 season, but it provided for the front foot to be wholly behind the popping crease. The Association believed a better provision would be for part of the foot to be grounded behind the crease, thus enabling the umpire to make an earlier call. The eventual result was the Law as we know it today.

Towards the end of the decade, the experimental Laws delineating the "danger area" on the pitch and the 15 (eight-ball) overs in the last hour of play were introduced.

The Golden Anniversary of the Association was celebrated with the Golden Jubilee Report for the 1963-64 season, during the presidency of Allen Fallins. The annual dinner was held at the Cricketers Club, then at 254 George Street, with 120 members in attendance. The Guest of Honour was Sir Donald Bradman. As the Dinner was held on the Saturday of the Fifth Test, Trevor Goddard, captain of the touring South Africans, and Brian Booth, Australian vice-captain, also attended.

The 1961-62 season saw the introduction of Long-service Certificates for Association members, with the presentations being made at the annual dinner.

In 1963, when F Lyons and H Elphinston relinquished their offices, RF Burgess assumed the secretaryship and NPN Frisk was elected Treasurer. In 1967, Allen Fallins vacated the presidency for health reasons and Ted Wykes commenced a long term in that office.

One of the most progressive steps in umpire education had its genesis in the formation of the Rothmans National Sport Foundation. Our Association President, Allen Fallins, set in train discussions with the Foundation concerning the sponsorship of an instructional film on umpiring. Association members George Canacott, Paul Chanter and Ted Wykes were appointed to a committee to work on the project. An audio-visual production, combining slides and sound-track, was made at the end of the 1965-66 season. Umpires performing in the production were Paul Berridge, Dick Burgess and George Canacott, with the assistance of a number of grade players and the background of Sydney University's main oval.

The success of the audio-visual production was instant. The Sport Foundation widely distributed copies to various State cricket and umpiring associations.

In 1966-67, a total of 110 umpires was needed to officiate in all matches. However appointments averaged only 63 per round.

During 1967, the first off-season coaching class was conducted. In 1969, classes averaged an attendance of 60 each night and, of the 38 candidates who passed the examination, 31 joined the Association as officiating umpires

8

- including RA French. Visits by the Examination Board to country areas were abandoned in 1968-69 because of the heavy expenses involved.

In 1967-68, the Sydney Morning Herald Awards were introduced. The services of members of the First Grade Panel were enlisted to judge this award which has continued to the present day. Bob Simpson won the inaugural award.

Each season, the proprietors of The Herald make a financial contribution to the Association in recognition of the role played by the umpires in the award.

During 1969-70, the Association approved an official tie - blue with the Association initials down its length. Until this time, umpires had worn a normal street tie with the white shirt and coat.

These years could be called the decade of Ted Wykes who succeeded Allen Fallins in 1968. Ted joined the Association in 1949 and was appointed to his first Sheffield Shield match in 1956-57. By the time he retired from First-class umpiring in 1971-72, he had officiated in one Test, 17 Internationals and 58 Sheffield Shield games. He was elected to the Executive Committee and the Examination Board in 1958 and, in 1974, was elected a Vice President of the New South Wales Cricket Association.

Dress rules were relaxed whereby members were allowed to shed coats on hot days.

The MCC consulted with cricket associations and with umpires' associations throughout the world and, as a result, redrafted the 1947 Code to formulate the 1980 Code.

The Cricket Association decided during the winter of 1974 that it would accept applications from women umpires for appointment to Sydney Grade cricket. Three women were admitted as members after passing the examination, to join Mrs Dorothy Higman who had joined the Association in September 1971. A suitable uniform which met our Association requirements was agreed upon - dark skirt, white shirt or blouse and white hat.

The expansion of the Sydney Grade competition led to an increased demand for umpires. The Association was strong in numbers - over 300 in the late 1970s - but officiating umpires were still in short supply. Pre-season seminars, which took the form of field training sessions, were commenced. The first of these seminars was held at University Oval and attracted fifty members.

The Rothmans audio-visual films continued to be in heavy demand. Lectures were given to schoolboy coaching clinics, teacher training colleges and to cricket clubs.

In the mid-seventies, there were several changes of office-bearers. Dick Burgess retired in 1976 after 14 years as Secretary. JR (Rick) Wegner was elected to fill that vacancy. Twelve months later, CC (Cec) Davies

9

relinquished the Treasurership, having completed nine years in that capacity. Both of these officers rendered outstanding service to the Association and had been elected Life Members on 2 February 1967 and 1 November 1972 respectively. At the time of his retirement, Cec was still uncertain about the five cents allegedly missing from Petty Cash. Both gentlemen maintained their keen interest in the affairs of the Association, and Dick was made Co-Patron, with George Borwick, during 1976-77, assuming the position of Patron after George Borwick's death. Dick was also elected a Life Member of the Cricket Association in 1975.

Cec Davies' successor was AG (Arthur) Watson, the fifth Treasurer in the Association's history.

In 1977, the Association reviewed its membership conditions, and introduced the categories which are still current - full, associate and junior membership for individuals and affiliation for other associations.

Subsequently, the Association re-organised its administration and, to assist the Honorary Secretary, created the offices of Assistant Hon Secretary (Administration) and Assistant Hon Secretary (Examinations). AG (Alan) Marshall and Bernie Armour were respectively appointed to these new positions.

In the 1970-71 season, TF (Tom) Brooks emerged as an international umpire. He was appointed to six Tests of the seven that were arranged for the MCC tour. Tom was the first Test umpire from New South Wales since Ted Wykes' appointment in the 1962-63 season. Tom was honoured by the English Test and County Cricket Board which invited him to officiate in county matches during the 1977 English season. He is the only member of our Association to have been so honoured. In January 1979, Tom was made a Life Member of this Association and, later in the same month, he was also made a Life Member of the NSW Cricket Association. In his career, Tom officiated in 24 Tests, 15 Internationals which included three Australia v The World XI matches, 37 Sheffield Shield and 18 UK County matches.

During the West Indies tour of 1975-76, R (Reg) Ledwidge was appointed to the Second Test in Perth. He received two further appointments, both with Tom Brooks - one in the West Indies tour, the other in the Pakistan tour of 1976-77. Unfortunately, Reg died just prior to the second Test of the 1977-78 India tour. In these unhappy circumstances, RA (Dick) French made his debut in Test cricket, as Reg's replacement.

Whilst some careers were blossoming, some were drawing to a close. Arch Easton, our President during 1955 and 1957, received his 50-year seal at the annual meeting in 1973. During his membership, Arch had been a member of the Examination Board from 1941 to 1961 and a member of the Executive Committee between 1939 and 1966. Apart from his administrative activities, Arch Easton was responsible for two particular contributions to umpiring. He invented the "Easton" counter which proved to be one of the world's most reliable counting devices. As a result of his involvement with the Examination

10

Board, he developed a magnetic board for coaching small groups and for oral examinations. Arch died in his early nineties in June 1979, having attended meetings regularly until late 1978.

Other honour awarded to members included that of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 1979 Australia Day Honours to John Chapman "for community service in the field of sport".

The close of the seventies saw the introduction of World Series Cricket which increased the demands on the leading umpires in New South Wales and, indeed, throughout Australia.

In November 1979 the MCC held a special General Meeting at Lords and adopted the 1980 Code of the Laws of Cricket. With this introduction, 1980 began one of the busiest decades in the life of the Association. The Code came into operation in Australia during the 1980-81 season.

The Association decided that all members should be examined prior to the 1980-81 season to ensure that they had the requisite knowledge of the new Laws. Two coaching lessons and an examination were held during the 1980 winter for metropolitan members, and other arrangements were made for country members to be examined. Members were advised that they would not be eligible to be appointed to NSWCA fixtures until our Examination Board was satisfied that they had sufficient knowledge of the new Laws. The difficulties which arose from this policy are shown in the match appointments for 1980-81: seventy-six members were appointed to Grade fixtures in Sydney compared to 95 in the previous season. The maximum number available for and appointed to any one round was 65 only.

Because of these disappointing figures, the Association recruited new members and purchased new audio-visual equipment to train them. The pre- season Seminar, suspended after 1979 because of a lack of interest, was revived in 1983 as a one-day meeting. It has developed into the present two- day Convention attracting members from throughout the State and has helped considerably in the dramatic increase in the number of appointments, culminating in the realisation of more than 100 appointments to Sydney Grade and Shires fixtures on a number of occasions during our 75 th year (1987-88).

Examinations of country members resumed during the 1980-81 season, thereby ensuring that those members were conversant with the new Code.

On order to make certain that members keep up to date with the Laws, the Executive Committee and Examination Board agreed to re-examine at least all officiating members every two years. This retesting commenced prior to the 1982-83 season. It is a voluntary exercise, and umpires are allowed to refer to the law book if necessary, as a part of the revision exercise. It is unfortunate that the revision examinations have not always been held when they fall due.

The Federation of the Australian Cricket Umpires had been formed in 1963 following negotiations by the Victorian and South Australian Associations.

11

This Association could see no real benefits accruing to us and we did not affiliate until 1969-70. In October 1971, our members resolved to terminate that affiliation for the same reason that we had initially delayed involvement. We remained outside the Federation until 1978 when we rejoined. Conferences were held in Melbourne in 1979, in Sydney in 1981 and in Launceston in 1983. Each was attended by representatives from our Association. We believed the main objective of the Federation to be to achieve uniformity of interpretation and application of the Laws, but felt that lack of resolution of differing views of some member States and the lack of response by other States were preventing the objective from being achieved. Consequently, our Association again withdrew from the Federation in 1984. It is not envisaged that we re-affiliate in the near future.

The Association decided to introduce several new awards during the 1980s. To commemorate the devotion of George Borwick during his lifetime, the Association inaugurated the George Borwick Memorial Award in 1982. This is made annually to the member who has made the most significant contribution to the Association, both on and off the field, during the year. A specially designed and inscribed trophy is presented at the Association's annual dinner. The recipient receives a small inscribed replica of the main trophy. The initial criteria for the award were amended for the second year and are that the member must be a financial member of the Association, must have officiated in at least 80% of the preliminary rounds of the Sydney competition and must have attended at least 80% of the meetings between July and March.

In 1986, the Association introduced an award to the leading umpire in each of the Sydney Grade panels. The awards, in the form of a medallion, are presented at the Association's annual dinner. The criteria for the awards are that a member must have officiated in at least ten matches in the Sydney Grade competition, that the average of team captains' points allotted for each round is the basis of the award and that the member is deemed to be in the panel in which he has officiated the greater number of matches.

Other honours which have accrued during the eighties have included the award of Medals of the Order of Australia (OAM) to Ted Wykes in 1980 and to Tom Brooks in 1985 in recognition of their respective contributions to sport. Within the Association, Life Memberships were granted to AJ (Allan) Wheeler (1981), Dick French, Alan Marshall and Arthur Watson (1987) in recognition of their services in a wide range of capacities - Allan Wheeler since 1966, and the others since 1969.

The award of Service Certificates after ten years' membership ceased at the end of the 1983-84 season although the distribution of seals for each successive five years of membership to those members who had already received the Certificates has continued. These Certificates were replaced by Match Certificates to metropolitan and country members who have officiated in a minimum of 100 grade matches. Provision was also made for the award of Life Member Certificates and for the award of special Service Certificates for outstanding and meritorious service. The first of these Service Certificates

12

were presented to Ron Abel (first Registrar), Ern Pearce ( Herald Awards) and Ted Wykes at the annual dinner in 1985.

Since joining the Association in 1969, Dick French has always been an enthusiastic and loyal member of the Association, even when resident interstate between 1979 and 1982. He was the first member to win the George Borwick Memorial Award on two occasions and he won the initial First Grade Panel award. Apart from his absence interstate, he has been a member of the Executive Committee and of the Examination Board since 1976, having served an "apprenticeship" on the Social Committee between 1973 and 1977. His capabilities are not restricted to administrative posts and, following his appointment to first grade matches in Sydney in 1972, he has accumulated an impressive record of First-class matches since the 1975-76 season - 19 Tests, 58 One Day Internationals, six State Internationals, 41 Sheffield Shield, as well as 10 McDonald's Cup matches.*

Unfortunately, in 1985, the Association lost a long-serving member when Cyril Wigzell died. He joined the Association in 1926, occupied a number of executive positions, including the presidency in 1957, and was made a Life Member in 1962. He was appointed to 10 Sheffield Shield matches. His sporting interests included Rugby League in which he was President of that Referees' Association for many years. He was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 1977.

Following the reorganisation of the Association's administrative arrangements, Rick Wegner vacated the secretaryship in 1985 and was succeeded by GRG (George) Wearne.

Rick had initiated a revision of the Constitution and a consideration of sponsorship. The Constitution was rewritten and adopted in 1986. The matter of sponsorship has continued, with limited success, and, in the mid-1980s, consideration of incorporation developed.

The New South Wales Cricket Association underwent administrative changes in 1986 and, in its new form, was officially proclaimed at the commencement of the 1986-87 season. It is still the controlling cricket authority in New South Wales, with the "executive" powers vested in the NSW Cricket Board.

As a result of the restructuring of the NSW Cricket Association, the Sydney Cricket Association and the NSW Country Cricket Association were created.

The Sydney Cricket Association is responsible for the conduct and management of the Sydney competitions. The Country Cricket Association assumed control of cricket in the country zones.

Relations between these three Associations and our own Association have developed very amicably.

In 1980-81, the Cricket Association established a Judiciary Committee to hear and determine umpires' reports concerning player behaviour. Previously,

13

these matters had been dealt with by the Grade Committee. Some problems manifested themselves in the early years, but changes to the format and the procedures of the Judiciary Committee were implemented for the 1984-85 season, following discussions between our Association and the Cricket Association. One of these changes allowed for legal aid to be provided to umpires appearing before the Committee.

The standard of dress of officiating umpires attracted attention early in the decade. After prolonged discussion, a basic uniform was determined, and this was written into the revised Constitution. In 1983-84, the Association adopted a new badge which became incorporated into the official tie and pocket and was use din the design for social clothing which was approved. The first item of social clothing was a blazer, and later casual shirts and a pullover were approved for off-the-field wear. In 1987, white pullovers with the Association badge were approved to replace the white coats which had been a part of the umpire's official uniform for most of the history of the Association. [Note: this was at the suggestion of your humble webmaster so any traditionalists who don't like the change know who to blame.]

With the co-operation of the Cricketers' Club of New South Wales, the Association gained central office accommodation in 1986. As a result, the Secretary was able to centralise Association records and equipment, and became himself more easily accessible to members and the Cricket Associations because of his general availability.

* This history was written for the 1987-88 75 th Anniversary Report. All figures quoted were accurate at the time of writing.

14