The noble game has been hijacked already chaps!

Aleem Dar - Jhang, Pakistan

Asad Rauf – Lahore, Pakistan

Mark Benson - Shoreham-by-Sea, England

Brent Bowden – Auckland, New Zealand

Steve Bucknor - Montego Bay, St James, Jamaica

Billy Doctrove - Marigot, Dominica

Darrell Hair – Mudgee, Australia

Daryl Harper – Adelaide, Australia

Rudi Koertzen – Knysna, South Africa

Simon Taufel – Australia


For record the above list of umpires are those on the elite panel. With the recent news that Australia apparently want to use only English & Aussie umpires for the upcoming Ashes series down under there is a spat of comments on blogs out of the sub-continent that racism has crept into the game. Interestingly enough the same racist taunts have been coming out of the sub-continent attacking Hair; I notice that Billy Doctrove has not been attacked for his part in all this.

As you know from my previous posts that I am not a fan of ICC, the people involved nor indeed the concept of a world body being run out of Dubai. The 2 main centres, whether others like it or not, of cricket are England and Australia. FACT! ok I will admit that there are many young people playing the game in India etc but for all we know there might be martians playing a mirror game of cricket in another galaxy. No, the game is English and Lords is the home of cricket. Wembley likewise is the home of soccer and look what has happened to soccer since FIFA got hijacked by the South Americans, etc several decades ago. Rules have been changed by FIFA (tackles from behind were quite legal when I was a boy) to the detriment of the english game. I believe the same is happening in cricket! To put it frankly chaps, the Pakistanis feel that they can tamper with the ball because it is their right to as they are good at bowling reverse swing. Anyway that's what Afridi said I believe. Certainly Woolmer has suggested that he feels that the regulations need reexamining. The excessive manipulation going on between PCB and ICC stinks!

Now let's look at the make up of the panel. There are 10 umpires including Mr Hair. Who plays cricket? Let's see! In an approximate order of importance to cricketers for historical rather than playing purposes;-

England
Australia
West Indies
South Africa
India
New Zealand
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Zimbabwe
Bangladesh

& then

Kenya
Holland
Canada

Now I can see 10 countries with Test Match status here and 3 others (I hope I haven't forgotten anybody!) that are quite good. I have ignored Scotland and Eire because they are mainly English ex-pros and I don't think the French or Russians can find an umpire anywhere. China don't play the game yet and Argentina and Brazil are sidetracked.

If the body governing cricket was fair to everyone regardless of race and competence logic would dictate that there would be at least 10 umpires one from each nation and then possibly 12 umpires giving 2 each from England and Australia who apparently play most 1st Class Cricket. Let's not forget that most overseas players either play in English 1st Class Cricket, English Club Cricket or Sheffield Shield. It is a general common feeling amongst cricket lovers that England produce the most competent umpires and historically that has been the case. Fagg, Bird and recently Shepherd spring to mind...oh I almost forgot Constant! That's the word I've been looking for!

So today England have 1 umpire and I don't believe Mark Benson is our best...competent yes! Australia have 3....why? New Zealand -1...seems reasonable. Likewise SA 1- message to you Rudi!!! (love that song!)....West Indies 2....but wait for it Billy Doctrove is from Dominica. So where is Dominica on this list of Test playing nations. Granted Doctrove couldn't be accused of bias! Let's remember that the Windies cricket team is made up former British colonial islanders, Jamaica, T&T etc so it would appear that in cricketing terms Doctrove is of no fixed abode when it comes to cricket playing nations. That's ok so long as ALL the other big nations are represented. Now for the shock chaps! Pakistan have 2 umpires one of whom is thought by some to be the best in the world BUT India arguably the largest nation of cricket lovers has not a single umpire on this list. This is crazy! Now I can't tell you how many billion/millions play cricket/love cricket in India but for ICC not to to be able to find ONE COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL UMPIRE to be considered for selection to the ICC select panel of umpires just proves that something is seriously wrong with ICC practices. Likewise Sri Lanka are not supported which again is mind boggling.

Now I have been critical of cricket administrators for years, even had a letter published in the Cricketer Mag but the plethora of cricket boards, army of administrators, increase of legal advisers, the arrival of John Major ex-PM who can't even hold a bat properly, well! All this excessive admin/media nonsense is coming to a head and pro-politics has arrived folks.