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Through the eyes of an umpire
By Ajith C.S. Perera
January 30, 2003 was a 'Red Letter Day' in the annals of the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers Sri Lanka. For the first time in our country, sixteen (16) retired senior members of the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers Sri Lanka were honoured and recognised in a befitting manner, for their long years of indispensable service and high achievement, marked and distinguished by "National recognition", serving in test match and/ or in one-day internationals' panels.

Tributes are often paid in our country to a cricket umpire, only when he is dead and gone. The highly responsible, numerous, simultaneous tasks an umpire performs, often over six long consecutive hours on field of play under the scorching sun, although highly demanding, goes thankless, as he is often at the receiving end of criticism. He is a man without whom the game of cricket, even with modern technology, would find impossible to survive. As his is a time-consuming duty, it keeps him away from his home and family for protracted periods, leaving hardly any time for social pleasantries.

Those were also the days when, unlike the present day fraternity, an umpire received only a mere few rupees termed as 'out of pocket expenses' for his dedicated services, but none of us really cared for the money, only the game. Numerous such silent sacrifices and enormous contributions that he makes over a lifetime spanned over many a decade of time rendering yeoman service to this game cricket, usually goes unnoticed even at the time of his retirement.

Historic occasion
At such a period of time, Janashakthi Insurance Company Limited had as its managing-director Mr. C.T.A. Schadffter, a former Sri Lanka fast bowler and a distinguished cricket administrator. For well over 250 years,cricket is a game traditionally prepared to be played not only within its laws and conditions of play, but also within the spirit of the game. It owes much of its unique appeal to this fact. In fact in the year 2000, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) of England, the custodian of the cricket laws since 1788, put into words some clear guidelines towards maintaining the unique character and enjoyments of the game and thus for the spirit of the game to remain unchangeable.

The laws of cricket decree that an umpire, working as a team with his partner along with the two captains, set right the tone for the spirit of fair-play, through the smooth conduct and impartial control of a match with a firm, dignified, and unobstrusive demeanor. An umpire must take care at all times to conduct himself in such a manner as to uphold the dignity and responsibility of his office and thereby earn the respect of all those concerned. It is never an easy path to travel for him, especially at a time when cricket has become a lucrative business, highly commericialised. Umpiring cricket is an art to master and a science to practise. A thick skin of rhinoceros, to remain unshaken like the rock of Gibraltar, and also a hawk's eye to maintain eternal vigilance for so long, are essential pre-requisites.

Pathway to success
Cricket is a ''thinking game'' in which a constantly high standard of performance is never easy to achieve. For the gifted few, its skills and technique comes naturally. For the greater majority, success can only be achieved through perseverance and hard work on field of play in the right direction. As with the players, the same holds true for all umpires too! From what has been said earlier, you will realise that there is much more to cricket umpiring than mere comprehensive understanding of every law of the game, its correct field application. But, granting of a driving licence does not indicate that the recipient is an expert driver. So it is with umpiring.

Remember, an umpire has to act as judge and jury for both the prosecution and the defence. He is given just a couple of seconds to unhesitatingly come forward with much foresight and sincere commitment, to sponsor and organise a felicitation ceremony at the P. Saravanamuttu International Cricket Stadium. To them we owe our deep and sincere gratitude for initiating such an activity. Although none of the sixteen of us would seek praise and publicity for the silent roles we have so humbly played for so long in the past, it certainly make us feel happy especially with the dawn of the sun-set years of our lives, in knowing that we are still fondly remembered and sincerely appreciated for what we have given to cricket. To receive such warmth, hence, is incalculable in value.

Living legend
Thanks to the untiring efforts of Mr. Dodwell Soysa and few others, December 1944 saw the birth of the present umpires' association of Sri Lanka. Since then, although people have come and people have gone donning the long white coat, the Association of Cricket Umpires of ours has gone from strength to strength. In July 1981 Sri Lanka was elected as a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). We played our first One-Day International on home soil on the 13th February 1982 and our inaugural test match commenced on the 17th February same year. Since then to-date twenty one members of the ACU&S Sri Lanka have got selected to the Test Match and/ or One-day International panels of Sri Lanka, out of which fifteen members have retired as of to-day from active umpiring of any competitive cricket.

Over the first eleven years since then (i.e. until the end of 1992), we only had a mere 27 ODs and 18 Test Matches on home soil. Would you believe that during the six-year period from 1986 May to 1992 July we could not stage even a single One-Day International here, in view of the conditions that prevailed in the country then. Because of these unforeseen teasous and thereafter in view of the ICC regulations with the formation of its own panel of umpires in 1993, opportunities were denied for few more of our competent umpires to serve in these two elite national panels.

Prime duties
Make a decision without the advantage of action replays or gift of second sight. Hence that essential technical qualification is only the first step on the ladder up. To reach the summit is easier but to remain there is much harder, for which it is vital to combine theoretical knowledge with further developed inherent physical and personal qualities. Experience gained through proper exposure at higher levels of the game, still, is the best teacher of an umpire. There is no short cut to real success as every one of us has come through this labyrinth laboriously. But in the end there is no regret as it certainly paid me rich dividends, not financially but otherwise.

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