Are the numerous umpires playing the balanced neutral role today that they ought to ? Among the lessons we learnt in our moral classes, it was stressed we follow the rules of the game and be sportsmanlike. As brash lads we’d get into scraps while playing gully cricket- nobody wanted to lose, so the ball was stolen or bat broken to prevent the others from winning. It needed a trusted wise person, such as a family elder, to make sure that the boys followed the ground rules, played like sportsmen and didn’t fight like ruffians !
Though the term “Umpire” is relatively a modern one, it has old antecedents essentially meaning “not on par” or “not equal.”. Umpires were not on par with the other players, they were above them, acting as the moderators and the voice of the law. Over time all sports have had umpires or referees with knowledge of the rules and to enforce them on field with complete impartiality. But as the game of Cricket gained popularity it drew huge crowds, prize money and telecasting earnings spiraled and betting pros flourished.
As the competitiveness and professionalism grew and stakes for winning got higher, the On-field ‘Umpires’ started to come under fire. Close calls, snicks, run outs and dubious LBW decisions caused a lot of rancor particularly where umpires appeared to be biased towards a side in making decisions that could changed the match in their favour.
‘Neutral’ umpires from a panel of accredited umpires got introduced in all international matches and worked for some time. But the ‘human error’ factor crept in, as at times lightening fast decisions were needed on field. Then somewhere in the 1990s, came the concept of the ‘Third Umpire’ sitting away from the actual play but armed with the latest in technology to ‘track the ball’ ! Teams had a fixed number of referrals, the third umpire could even overturn decisions of on-field umpires based on replays and interpretation. of the evidence. Yet technology too hasn’t always inspired confidence. Despite the on-field umpires verdicts, ball tracking, replays etc by third umpires have looked dubious !
Finally there’s the issue of on-field behavior that demeans the spirit of the game and for that there’s a ‘Fourth Umpire’ called the ‘Match Referee’ for complaints made by the on-field umpires or team managements against erring players. In many cases penalties are awarded and in severe cases, one or two match bans are levied. Constant improvements to ensure fair play and sportsmanship have been tried out in sports. Yet those playing the Umpire’s role in public posts and entrusted with duties of enforcement of rules, are often found wanting and not working without fear or favour ? ‘Howzzat’ Umpires ?!
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