Valuable lessons

Do not ridicule the bowler, the spectators have come to see the players, not you, whisper into the batsman and bowler’s ears, have a polite word with the captain, maintain proper deportment and pay attention to the details. These were some of the lessons taught to the Indian umpires by Simon Taufel, three-time ICC Award winner, during the two-day seminar organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India in Bangalore. Marcus Couto, a Ranji panel umpire employed with the Cricket Club of India (CCI), described the proceeding as “unique and enriching”.

Taufel, in the running for the ICC Awards 2007 for the fourth time, made an audio-visual presentation.

Bomi Jamula, one of the 10 umpires who will be officiating as an umpire’s coach in the coming season said: “The seminar was useful and I hope the umpires put into practice the things they have been advised to do. Taufel said that the umpire’s body language should be faultless. He should avoid the hands-on-hip posture because it gives an impression to the captains and players that he is casual. He also said that the umpire should not react when players argue and avoid gesturing that the ball was missing leg or point to the height. This is because in a match shown live, the umpire could be proved wrong. But he also said that “don’t give an impression that you will never respond to an appeal.”