Your Letters (continued)
Malcolm Howard, Surrey (two letters)
Player Behaviour Trials
Chris Heard (issue 25) is interested to hear other umpires’
views with regard to the proposed ‘player behaviour trials’.
Over the last five years I have witnessed standards of player
behaviour steadily deteriorating and significantly worse than
the gentlemanly behaviour I witnessed 60 years ago as a
scorer. So something has to be done.
further by issuing a report to the league (no problem writing
a report to the club indicating reasons for action, as long as
the player is not penalised twice).
For example, take a Level 1 offence such as ‘charging or
advancing towards an umpire in an aggressive manner when
appealing’. This will happen in the heat of the moment and as
things stand will be repeated as if nothing has been learnt.
However, if you warn the captain, pointing out that the next
offence will incur five penalty points, I am confident that the
message will get across.
I like the MCC proposals, but feel the in-play sanctions are
enough for Level 1 and 2 offences without taking matters
Answered by Mark Williams, MCC:
I’m glad that you are in agreement with the principle of
tackling on-field indiscipline. Our reason for reporting any
serious breach to the League/Competition Executive is that
we expect them to take appropriate action should such a
breach occur, and that our consultation with leagues is that
they would want to know of any such breach. It is indeed
the intent that warning a captain that penalties will follow is
intended to deter, and the message will probably get across
in most cases. However, where it doesn’t it is important that
there are penalties and that they are applied consistently.
Further, if a really serious offence occurs, such as a player
punching another player, then tough penalties need to be in
place to deal with such behaviour: hence temporary or
permanent suspensions from the field of play.
Young Wicketkeepers
The current magazine (Issue 25) arrived
today and I was disappointed to read that
there was no change in the regulations
with regard to young wicketkeepers.
This gives rise to the question: what is the
definition of ‘standing up to the wicket’?
In adult cricket this usually means the
wicketkeeper is on top of the wicket (ie as
near to the wicket as he can be without
encroaching). One foot away would, in my
view, not be regarded as ‘standing up’.
The definition is important as I have asked
a number of umpires to define this and I
have had a varying response.
I umpire under 10 to under 12 and do not
want to be held responsible for an
unfortunate accident. For example, in a
game I umpired last season, the
wicketkeeper (u10) was standing just over
one foot away from the stumps when the
ball hit him square on his forehead. He was
wearing a helmet and carried on as if
nothing had happened. But if he had not
been wearing a helmet?
Answered by Mark Williams, MCC:
Personally I would always err on the
side of caution. If a young wicketkeeper
were to stand within a couple of yards
of the stumps, I would insist upon him
wearing a helmet.
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