Six Cricket Umpires and their vintage style

Fans dressed as Cricket UmpiresIn the Gentlemans game, they are perhaps the most gentlemanly chaps on the field. Entrusted with the responsibility of making the key decisions and ensuring fair play, the Cricket umpires are the unsung heroes of the game. The role of anumpire isimportantfor the outcome of the game, but they never get the due credit for it. They have been traditionally been viewed as boring. Umpiring is thought of as a dull job for the aged persons.While the players may indulge in banter and let their emotions get the better of them, the umpires are always there to calm things down and restore the dignity back. At times we judge the umpires too harshly and forget that they too are human beings like us and are bound to get a few decisions wrong in the heat of the contest.With Cricketnow increasingly becoming infested with technology, it has become both a boon and bane for the umpires. Thetechnology helps them to have a look at the footage before making a key decision. On the other hand,the margin for error for on field empires havebecome very marginal. They are almost instantaneously prosecuted if they get even one decision wrong.The sport has been blessed with many great umpires who have their own particular style of judgment with each being equally effective. They have added their own flavor to the game and have given usnumerous moments of joy.Here is a tribute to some of Crickets greatest umpires and their vintage moves.

#1 David Shepherd - The Nelson Hop

Ah, the dreaded Nelson.

David Robert Shepherd was one of Cricket’s best umpires. The big beefy gentleman from Bideford umpired in 92 Tests and 172 ODIs including three World Cups (1996, 1999, and 2003). The rounded figure combined with his cool nature and good humored approach made him a delightful sight on the Cricket field.

The ex Gloucestershire batsman was made most famous for his quirks, most notably his “jig” when the scoreboard hit Nelson (111) or multiples of Nelson. As spectators, we wished that the score would freeze at Nelson for a while so that we could see this big man hop around on his feet like a pirate. Shepherd regarded Nelson as unlucky relating it to a ritual dating back to his childhood cricket team days.

"Nelson's always been an unlucky number. Whether it's 111 because of the three stumps, I don't know. It's just a tradition in English cricket."

The beloved umpired died because of lung cancer on 27 October 2009. May his soul rest in peace. Here is a video explaining the myth of “NELSON” and David Shepherd’s firm belief on its ill fate as one sees him hoping as the score board hits 111.

#2 Steve Bucknor - The slow death

Aptly nicknamed as “Slow Death Bucknor”, the big Jamaican is perhaps the most meticulous umpire of all-time. He is Cricket’s equivalent of a theoretical physicist, doing all the possible calculations before rolling out a definitive verdict. In the 128 Test matches and the 181 ODIs that the former Mathematics teacher officiated, he always took his time before a decision. It was a common sight to see the bowler almost give up on his appeal and head back to his run up and only then would Bucknor raise his finger.

The former international football referee is a recipient of the Order of Jamaica, Commander Class, for "outstanding services in the field of sports."

Bucknor values the virtue of patience, as he once said:

"I have never been hasty to make decisions, and, by nature, I like to take my time to do things. Patience is a virtue for me. I don't know how many other umpires believe it's a good way to do it. But I'm happy with the method and hopefully others will also take their time to make important decisions."

Here is a video of the homage paid to Steve Bucknor by players and fans on his last game as an umpire and congratulating him on a long career spanning two decades.

#3 Billy Bowden - The crooked finger of doom

Without a doubt, Billy Bowden is the most entertaining umpire in Cricket’s history. An eccentric character with his wide array of zazzy signals saw the New Zealander shoot through the umpiring ranks and emerge as one of the most liked umpires both by players and the fans. Whenever a batsman makes a mistake, the audiences eagerly await for Billy’s“Crooked Finger of Doom” to go up and signal the batsman out.

Billy has shed the typical stereotype of umpiring and showed the world that entertainment can come from the most unlikely of sources – The Umpires. As soon as a batsman heaves one out of the park, the fans turn their eyes to Billy for his hop-on-one-leg-and-reach-for-Jesus signal for six.

Billy has an amiable personality and can-do attitude, after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis which rendered him unable to play Cricket; he continued his passion for the game as an umpire. Kudos to his spirit.

Here is one example where Billy got the crowd going with his unconventional signals.

#4 Rudi Koertzen - The trolling finger

As Harsha Bhogle once put it

"The last time Rudi Koerzten smiled; there was peace in west Asia."

With his hat, the french beard and shades on almost every time, Rudi Koertzen was one of the most instantaneously recognizable figures in Cricket. He exemplifies the typical rowdiness one would associate with a South African. Not easily swayed by the vociferous appeals, the calm headed African always took his time before ruling a batsman out. Rudi explains how his “slow death” came into existence.

“When I started to umpire, I used to stand with my hands in front of me. I remember my wife was watching a TV game one day where I was officiating and she said to me, "Take your hands away from your front and put them behind your back." I started doing that, but then I started to fiddle around with my hands - it's in my pocket, then it's on my side - so I decided to grip my left wrist with my right hand and hold it there so I couldn't move it around. Because I would hang on to it, it just came naturally that I would count one, two, three, think where the ball was going, and then have a slow release and start lifting it. It just stayed with me - I don't think it was something deliberate. I gave Daryll Cullinan out at the Wanderers one day and he gave me the name Slow Death. He said, "Why do you make me suffer and wait for that slow-death decision?" It just stayed with me. I had to laugh at one of the producers one day. They said, "Can't you just speed it up a little bit, because we struggle to fit it into the super slow-mo replays."

Often Rudi used to troll the bowlers, slowing raising his finger and then pulling it away midway. He liked to play cat and mouse with the feelings of both bowler and batsmen.

Here is a video where Rudi trolls the bowler.

#5 Simon Taufel - The nod of the head

The best umpire of the modern era! Thought of as an old man’s job, Simon Taufel defied this belief and stepped into umpiring at the age of 29. His rise was meteoric as he was rated ICC’s Umpire of the Year every year from 2004 to 2008. The Australian has an astounding accuracy rate which saw him become the youngest member of the elite panel of ICC’s umpiring circuit.

Simon Taufel’s most recognized move is the shake of the head before ruling out the batsmen. Be it the nod of approval to signal a batsman’s demise or the shake to overrule the bowler’s appeal, the head movement is very visible.

Here is a video to illustrate the above mentioned fact.

#6 Srinivas Venkataraghavan - The bent arm

Srinivas Venkataraghavan is India’s gift to the umpiring world. He officiated in 72 Tests and 52 ODIs and became one of the most respected umpires of all-time. A member of the ICC’s elite panel until he retired from umpiring in 2004. His umpiring career is star studded with six Ashes series and three World Cups (1996, 1999, 2003).

The former off spinner’s most notable feature while umpiring was his bent arm while adjudging the batsmen out. Unlike most umpires who raise the arm straightforward and point the finger upwards to the skies, Venkataraghavan’s vintage style was to raise the arm sidewards while bending it at the elbow and then dealing the deathly blow to the batsman.

Here is a video of his particular style.