Umpires and Rules

3 weeks ago

NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association

Sydney, Australia

10 Likes
24 Followers

The Board of New South Wales Cricket Umpires’ and Scorers’ Association (NSWCUSA) annually appoints a sub-committee to consider nominations for the NSWCUSA Hall of Fame. The sub-committee then makes a recommendation to the Board.

In 2025 the Hall of Fame sub-committee was unanimous that Life member Ian Thomas be inducted. The Board was equally unanimous in its support of the sub-committee recommendation.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/329/nsw-cricket-umpires-and-scorers-association/blog/3117/former-international-umpire-ian-thomas-inducted-into-the-new-south-wales-cricket-umpiresrsquo-and-scorersrsquo-association-hall-of-fame

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4 months ago

NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association

Sydney, Australia

10 Likes
24 Followers

NSWCUSA member Mitchell Claydon has been elevated to the Cricket Australia Contracted Umpire Panel for 2025-26, with three changes made to the group, announced today by CA.

Claydon comes onto the Panel with Riki Wessels from Queensland, and Chris Grant from Victoria, with the trio elevated on the back of consistent performances at U19 Male National Championships, Second XI, WBBL and WNCL in recent seasons.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/329/nsw-cricket-umpires-and-scorers-association/blog/2944/mitchell-claydon-elevated-to-cricket-australia-contracted-umpire-panel

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6 months ago

Cricket NSW

71 Likes
102 Followers

Roberto Howard will umpire his 100th men’s premier cricket first grade match this weekend in the Fairfield-Liverpool v Penrith fixture at Rosedale Oval.

Roberto commenced umpiring more than a decade ago when he first officiated in the then Sydney Grade Cricket competition. He made his first grade debut at Chatswood Oval in November 2016 umpiring the match between Gordon and Sydney University. He was elevated to the NSW State Umpire Panel in July 2018. He has become a highly respected umpire in our first grade competition.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/154/cricket-nsw/blog/2788/roberto-howard-to-umpire-his-100th-menrsquos-premier-cricket-first-grade-match

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7 months ago

Sam Menners

11 Likes
1 Followers

There were only 76 overs bowled on day one of the 5th test between Australia and India at the SCG.
I’d like to ask why and how teams are allowed to get away with such low over rates when 90 overs are supposed to be bowled in a day.
If I’m paying to go to the ground or a subscription fee to watch 90 overs, why are we denied 14 overs of play.
Does anyone know why the umpires aren’t speeding the game up or what the ramifications are to the teams?

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7 months ago

Paul Ryan

Founder

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

503 Likes
513 Followers

The International Cricket Council handling of Virat Kohli’s recent incident could have significant ramifications for the game of cricket. It raises an important question: What’s worse on the cricket field—physical contact and intimidation or verbal abuse and intimidation?

If you believe that physical actions are more severe, the International Cricket Council has set a troubling precedent. By imposing only a 20% match fee fine and one demerit point on Kohli for his physical contact and intimidation of Sam Konstas on day one of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, the ICC risks undermining the standards of conduct expected in the sport.

What kind of message does this send to the wider cricketing community, which relies on the game’s integrity, rules, and code of conduct?

From Premier Cricket and Club competitions to Park, Regional, Veterans, and School cricket, this decision sets a dangerous precedent. How are players and officials at all levels expected to maintain discipline when the governing body appears to downplay physical intimidation on the field?

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8 months ago

Paul Ryan

Founder

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

503 Likes
513 Followers

I’d like to see cricket’s governing body reconsider the rule that automatically deems a ball bowled by a spinner down the leg side as a wide in limited over and T20 cricket. Instead, the interpretation of a wide for spinners should align with the standards used in Test, first-class, and other red-ball cricket formats.

If a spinner bowls a delivery that spins past the batter’s pads without making contact, it’s in my opinion poor or lazy batting. Penalising the bowler and fielding team in such cases seems unjustified.

If a spinner chooses to bowl down the leg side, trusting their skill and the keeper’s ability to cleanly collect the ball, all kudos to the bowler.

It’s particularly unfair when a spinner lands the ball on off or middle stump, and it turns sharply past the batter’s bat and pads only to be called a wide. In such scenarios, the onus should be on the batter to be better.

This rule adjustment would encourage spinners to keep spinning the ball (which is what we all want) and encourage batters rather than unfairly penalising bowlers.

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10 months ago

Damien Trott

Student

Melbourne, Australia

49 Likes
7 Followers

If you could make one rule change in any format of the game what would it be?

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last year

Cricket NSW

71 Likes
102 Followers

The Cricket NSW Foundation, in a bid to provide better training to umpires across the state, provided a grant to the NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers’ Association (NSWCUSA) in the 2023-24 season to enable greater access to cricket for aspiring umpires across regional NSW.

The grant allowed the NSWCUSA to subsidise the cost of attending and sitting the Laws of Cricket workshops across NSW to remove a financial barrier to getting more umpires officiating games of cricket in NSW.

https://www.cricketnsw.com.au/news/3971299/cnsw-foundation-grant-upskills-58-umpires

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last year

David Dillon

Accountant

Sydney, Australia

28 Likes
1 Followers

I was never much of a bowler, but I believe that if a batsman is hit on the pads without offering a shot ALL the benefit should go to the bowler.

If the umpire says not out and DRS shows it clipping the stumps by 1 mm, to me that's out, fair and square.

It happened a few times in 22/23 to Nathan Lyon, where the batsman got the benefit of DRS because less than 50% of the ball was hitting.

For 'not offer a shot' LBW decisions, surely DRS is there to protect that batsman from the umpires howlers, not to protect the umpires from their own howlers.

As it currently stands when not offering a shot, a batsman is afforded the same protection as one that actually took a risk and played a shot but missed.

Fair enough to send it upstairs if you've been robbed... but otherwise use your bat, that's what it's there for.

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last year

NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association

Sydney, Australia

10 Likes
24 Followers

NSWCUSA - Annual Dinner and Awards Night

Alan Marshall (#14) and Arthur Watson (#15) were inducted into the NSWCUSA Hall of Fame. This was beautifully put together by the Association, appreciated by members of the late Alan Marshall’s family and by Arthur Watson and his wife, Ann, who were in attendance. Arthur spoke superbly about his work with Alan over many years in honouring him. Alan and Arthur have been such outstanding ambassadors and contributors on and off the field. We owe so much to those who dug the well in the NSWCUSA, standing strongly on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Alan and Arthur were deserving HoF inductees, they have done and achieved so much. Given their friendship, teamwork and respective contributions, it was fitting they were honoured on the same night.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/329/nsw-cricket-umpires-and-scorers-association/blog/2116/nswcusa-annual-dinner-and-awards-night

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last year

NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association

Sydney, Australia

10 Likes
24 Followers

National Panel umpire Gerard Abood has again been named Cricket NSW’s Representative Umpire of the Year, receiving the award for the second time at the recent CNSW Awards Evening at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Abood has enjoyed a stellar season, which saw him involved in the Australia v West Indies Men’s T20 International series and appointed to oversee two national finals – on-field for the BBL Final and TV umpire in both the Sheffield Shield & One-Day Cup finals.

He performed strongly on-field in five Sheffield Shield matches, three in the One-Day Cup and ten BBL matches including three finals series matches.

https://nswcusa.cricketnsw.com.au/abood-awarded-representative-umpire-of-the-year
/

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last year

Damien Trott

Student

Melbourne, Australia

49 Likes
7 Followers

If two spinners are bowling in tandem why can a batter not wear a helmet but a keeper has to?

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last year

Paul Ryan

Founder

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

503 Likes
513 Followers

Why is this not out?

When a bowler bowls the ball, they become a fielder and when Stobo throws the ball Chis Green is out of his crease.

The batter is not allowed to obstruct a bowler or fielder attempting a run out.

What if Chris Green played the ball to short cover and the cover fielder picked the ball up and threw it towards the stumps. If Chris Green attempted to stop the ball with the bat or any part of his body, he would’ve been given out obstructing the field.

What’s the difference?

Source - Foxsports

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/domestic-cricket/sheffield-shield/dont-stoop-to-this-wa-wants-answers-amid-shield-drama-as-nsw-star-plays-ball-twice/news-story/3bcecbbcbb05ba5adf6ae7d344ca4565?fbclid=IwAR24-N4PF-HGlyYbpqpFieH83XqTMLD3DBg9en4PgwSw9O5OShidiATxhJg

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last year

NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association

Sydney, Australia

10 Likes
24 Followers

Tim Donahoo was always keen even as a teenager to know the laws and rules in whatever sport he was playing. He was encouraged to take an interest in the laws of cricket and umpired his first game when only 17 years of age.

Many years later his love of umpiring hasn’t diminished and he still enjoys been out of the park and involved in the game. He’s also worked behind the scenes and was Chairman of NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association in 2006/07 and 2007/08.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/329/nsw-cricket-umpires-and-scorers-association/blog/218/tim-donahoo-be-prepared

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last year

Damien Trott

Student

Melbourne, Australia

49 Likes
7 Followers

If a batter goes to pull out of their stance as the bowler goes into their delivery stride but still plays a shot is it right for the umpire to call a dead ball?

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last year

NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association

Sydney, Australia

10 Likes
24 Followers

Vale Brian Ferguson 1943-2023

NSWCUSA mourns the passing of long-serving member Brian Ferguson.

Passionate about cricket and umpiring, Brian was always available to umpire and willing to share his vast experience and knowledge to benefit less experienced colleagues. So many members over the years can say they enjoyed a day umpiring with and learning from Brian Ferguson. He was a popular and respected figure in the Sydney Cricket Association (SCA) for more than 25 years. Brian was also in more recent times a committed and respected member of the Sydney Shires Cricket Umpires’ Association.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/329/nsw-cricket-umpires-and-scorers-association/blog/1828/vale-brian-ferguson-1943-2023

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last year

Patrick Skene

Marketing Director

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

7 Likes
0 Followers

Respect is central to the Spirit of Cricket, which includes the basic tenets of respecting opponents and the authority of umpires, accepting the umpires’ decisions, showing self-discipline and creating a positive atmosphere through your conduct.

Yet, poor on field behaviour has increased and a more adversarial than collegiate approach has prevailed.

How is cricket tackling the issue of umpire abuse in Australia? Patrick Skene investigates in the latest 'Sport at the Crossroads' article. Boosted with key insights from umpires Simon Taufel & Claire Polosak.

https://clubrespect.org.au/sport-at-the-crossroads-cricket
/

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last year

Paul Ryan

Founder

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

503 Likes
513 Followers

In Western Suburbs District Cricket Club 3rd Grade game against Sydney Cricket Club one of our umpires was Geoff Garland. Geoff is 81 years of age.

Geoff first involvement with senior cricket in New South Wales began in 1961 and he’s been a players, umpire, and mentor ever since.

He started umpiring at the age of 50 and has umpired over 450 games for the Sydney Cricket Association. Geoff was awarded Life Membership of New South Wales Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association in 2019.

Saturday was a one day 50 over game and Geoff was at the top of his game. He engaged at the appropriate times, didn’t go looking for unnecessary noise and communicated and managed the game terrifically well. And he did it all with a smile.

It’s wonderful to see Geoff still umpiring as he’s a wonderful role model for all umpires and players. It was even better to see to see him so spritely and enthusiastic.

I dip my lid Geoff.

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last year

Damien Trott

Student

Melbourne, Australia

49 Likes
7 Followers

If a right arm off spinner is bowling around the wicket to a right-hand batter and the batter attempts a reverse sweep does the shot negate the need for the ball to be pitching in line with the stumps for the batter to be given out lbw.

In other words can the batter be given our lbw if the ball pitches outside leg stump just because the batter looks to play a reverse sweep.

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2 years ago

CricConnect Stories

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

183 Likes
257 Followers

The Preamble - The Spirit of Cricket

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If you could make one rule change in any format of the game what would it be?

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If two spinners are bowling in tandem why can a batter not wear a helmet but a keeper has to?

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If a batter goes to pull out of their stance as the bowler goes into their delivery stride but still plays a shot is it right for the umpire to call a dead ball?

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The Preamble - The Spirit of Cricket

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Umpires and Rules

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If you could make one rule change in any format of the game what would it be?

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If two spinners are bowling in tandem why can a batter not wear a helmet but a keeper has to?

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If a batter goes to pull out of their stance as the bowler goes into their delivery stride but still plays a shot is it right for the umpire to call a dead ball?

Partner Sponsors

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The Preamble - The Spirit of Cricket

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