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With regards to the new umpires tops, i feel that i have to say i think they are scandalous, tacky and who thought up the idea of having someone standing behind the stumps wearing a dark shirt when the bowler is using a dark red ball?
Please can we have a rethink on this.
I have a bit of a jaundiced view of this mantra that things have to change "to get the young ones in". I could go on for ever about this so-called need for change that seems to permeate every level of society but Craig has raised it about cricket so I'll confine my comments accordingly. Unbelievable as it may now seem, I was young once and I reflect on what it was about cricket that "brought me in" at the age of 11. The game itself. I suppose that I was lucky in that we grew up in a time where we played in the street, not stuck over a Play Station. I would point out that I must have played over 100 times for England in our street - and before anyone says that times have changed I accept that while there may be different pressures on young people nowadays they are only "different" to the ones we experienced. One simple example is we inevitably had to make our own way to practice, usually by bike - not by asking "when wiill I get picked up?" I was even luckier that there was a teacher - the late Tom Greenwood - who "took" cricket. Not a "coach" in the modern idiom but someone who loved the game and was able to instil that in those of us fortunate to have known him. That's what brought me into cricket and I have had a lifetime (almost!) of fun and enjoyment from it even as recently as yesterday watching Lisburn upsetting the odds against the Villagers. Ballymena thumping CSNI and Lurgan tieing with North Down. Is this the end of the world as we knew it?? Also great to see Don Savage at Wallace Park yesterday. His legs may be a bit slower but his wit is as sharp as ever.
Come on guys all this chat about umpires clothing..lighten up!
Casual is fine as long as the umpiring standards are high.
re to everyone who had made a contribution to this debate
i do a agree with having tradition
its were we are trying to bring in new umpiries of my age were i believe u simply wouldnt get them to do it
As one of the new umpires this year I just assumed that I was to wear the conventional shirt and tie and that is how I have turned out so far.
We are in the process of receiving new polo shirts (as well as the new jackets - which we have all paid for ourselves I'd like to point out!) and so it seems we are heading down the more casual look.
If you watch any cricket match on tv nowadays all umpires wear polo shirts I think. So it seems NIACUS are moving with the times.
Now must get myself for a trip to Dungannon in the morning....
I think the Umpires do a great job and personnally I don't mind what they wear,although the traditional white coat and dark trousers are hard too beat.
Would I be rite in assuming we have a few more this season as opposed to less,we have had umpires at all our matches down in Section 3 so far and great to see !
Umpire's clothing
Craig, good on you for taking up Umpiring at such a young age. Just wanted to make one comment though. Umpres have worn 'traditional' clothing for years (well before the 50 over format was created). They still manage to stand through 5 day test cricket & 4 day county matches to the current day. Whilst umpires are more than entitled to wear whatever they deem to be appropriate, I think that the 'traditional' clothing can not be too obstructive/uncomfortable etc otherwise Umpires would have made comment on it earlier. I personally think that the tie makes an Umpire look dignified and respectable (which is exactly how they should be treated) but I suppose clothes do not necessarily make the man!
Craig,
It's good to see young blood involved in umpiring.
re Craig - not sure that "moving with the times" has been for the overall good of the game - maybe it is more to do with getting Sky subscriptions, putting bums on seats for the commmercial benefit of entrepreneurs in India or, as in one spectacular case, to boost the ego of a conman. Perhaps someone could tell me how many more people have turned up to watch local cricket following the introduction of the coloured clothing and extra circles in the Senior Cup & powerplays in the ISC? I know that there is an argument towards uniformity in all playing regulations but it DOES make a relatively simple game more complicated. On the question of coloured clothing, perhaps Ballymena's choice of black -v- North Down on what was the hottest day of the season so far may not have been the "coolest" choice! A couple of the guys certainly admitted to being a trifle inconvenienced!
re jim
im only 17 and a new umpires this year. wearing a shirt and tie can be good i agree but if you want more younger people to be umpiring then cricket has to move on with the times in the umpiring department
Craig. I'm not disrespecting your wishes! But what is the difference now in umpiring?
re jim
have u ever umpired a match for a full 100 overs on a saturday afternoon?
when we were the tradition gear its not made for the way umpiring is now.
re Umpires clothing. Personally I like to see the Umpires in a shirt and tie. They look very smart and it's one of the few things left in the Gentlemans Game that has stood the test of time. But if the Umpires wish to change then it's their choice, after all, they're the ones wearing it!
Just to let all of our local cricketers know that the NIACUS will be introducing new clothing for Umpires over the next few weeks. Jackets and Polo Shirts will be worn by Umpires at local fixtures and it will be a major boost to our Umpires who put in a fine job each week for the clubs in the local game. Should anyone be interested in purchasing any of the new items they can contact me. The traditional image of the white coat will however not fade away as some of our colleagues wish to retain that part of their clothing for fixtures.
Jimmy not quite, I'm actually a full time professional cricket player and a freelance cricket writer and have been for some years now !
The problem is though........ No-one will employ ME!!!!
