Cricket’s clash of civilisations: implications for Umpiring?

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Shaka

I don't think it's a racial issue at all, more a cultural one. Some of the old guard umpires carry old guard issues ( a bit like the writer of the article)

Exactly Shaka, you have hit the nail right on the head there. The reasons in some ways are not dissimilar to the Ron Atkinson issue. I know its a different setting totally, but indulge me here guys... Here is a great bloke, did a lot to help minority footballers, has many close black friends, and everyone believed he did not have a racist bone in his body. But one remark betrays the fact that there are still some old "cultural issues" which you cannot eradicate. BBC did an excellent documentary about that comment a few weeks back, spoke to all manners of people who know big Ron, took him to the US to see real racial deprivation, and so on, but he was not contrite...he just cannot realise why what he did was not right. Does not make him any less of a human though, one has to remember that in the 70s, he was at the forefront of combatting racism in football, when he did not have to do it.

[Shaka]

Exactly Maranello. When Imran Khan made the initial plea for for neutral umpires years ago, we used to hear the same arguments that English umpires were the best, and they probably were. That still didn't make them the most neutral. Pakistani old guard umpires weren't any better I should add.

That's why I would recommend go with the new guard all round. Get rid of the fossils who aren't able to apply the rules without any bias. Is that too much too ask?

[Maranello]

Yep, Imran instrumental in getting neutral umpires to be adapted for cricket, and it was a hard slog, took years of persuasion, negotiation and diplomacy till the MCC/ICC saw the light. He even ensured we had two English umpires (Palmer and Holder I seem to recall) to officiate in the 1989 Pak v Ind series, in Pakistan. It was hard work but it worked. One of Imran's arguments was one that should make sense to Western supporters of the game too, he said that Pakistan work hard at winning home matches, but never get any credit for it, since the opposition always blames the umpiring (some of it was admittedly atrocious, but I guess no different from many other countries) - so he wanted neutral umpires to ensure his team got the credit for their home wins, and they had a level playing field for the overseas tours.

That is all that's needed now too - a level playing field, where good umpires can flourish, mistakes are minimised and are more evenly spread across the teams, and the old guard can retire gracefully.

[Beny]

Well here's the thing guys...you're essentialy accusing umpirers of Racism. One of those you accuse is Bucknor who's black... You can water it down as much as you like but thats what you're saying. Call it bad decisions or what not but it is going to far to accuse very nice and bi-partisan guys like Bucknor and sheppard of being rascist.

[Maranello]

Beny, where did I or for that matter, anyone else on this thread accuse an umpire of racism? You really have not read the thread properly it seems. Have a read of the following:

Post 31877

While not agreeing with all that he says, especially when he accuses the ICC and umpires of deliberate bias

Post 31889

OF I agree that the chap's views are not logically consistent or based entirely on fact (for instance when he accuses others of "racist bias", a statement too strong for me).

Post 32046

I don't think it's a racial issue at all, more a cultural one. Some of the old guard umpires carry old guard issues ( a bit like the writer of the article).

Post 32061

Shepherd and Koertzen get mostly wrong, and for some bizarre reason, in too many matches, only favour the Western teams. Cultural reasons, perhaps, yes. Racism or other such nonsense, an absolute no. So in this the writer of the article does get it wrong, IMO.

FOUR separate instances on this thread where the racial issue is totally ruled out by Shaka or I. However, these biased umpiring decisions do persist, and its probably too late to re-educate dinosaurs such as Koertzen. The best solution is for them to retire and the new guard to take over, who were not born in the colonial/Imperialist era and do not have any pre-conceived notions about everyone's place in the world. It probably is not deliberate bias, maybe some unconscious bias, but still needs to be weeded out.

Given all the above instances where racism is ruled out, it is shocking that you say:

Originally Posted by Beny

you're essentialy accusing umpirers of Racism

I repeat, this thread is not about race, which is not a cricket issue. This thread is about umpiring, and steps that need to be taken to improve the standard of decisions which often go against certain teams.

[Seamer]

Race and culture amount to the same thing. You are entering some pretty murky water here and i don,t think this is the forum to discuss such things. It can only lead to bad blood

[Maranello]

A couple of posters have misunderstood the reasoning behind this thread, and are more aggrieved about the content than is warranted, IMO.

However, further discussion of this emotive subject will not be beneficial to any of us, and can quite easily lead to personal attacks being traded. We have all made our point, let's leave it at that.

In order to prevent this potential slanging match, I am closing this thread. Please PM me if there are any comments, adverse or positive, about this decision - I welcome all feedback, honest


If you would like to complain about my modding here, please do raise this in a PM with admin.