Tony Becca

TO SOME cricket fans, umpires are of little importance. They are only remembered whenever they make a wrong decision and it matters little, if anything at all, to the fans which umpires are selected to officiate in a match.

The selection of an umpire, however, and especially so in this age of professionalism and an elite panel whose members travel the world and get paid for it, is important in the career of an umpire. In fact, as far as development and recognition are concerned, it is as important, or almost as important, as the selection of a player.

As it is sometimes with the selection of the players, however, it is difficult, sometimes, to understand the selection of the umpires in the West Indies, and this time around, in the two Test matches and in the three one-day internationals to come, it is no different.

In fact, with four umpires on the international panel, with only two, the same two, serving in the two Test matches, with one of the two scheduled for all three one-day internationals, with two, who are not on the international panel, down to officiate in the one-day internationals, and mostly importantly, with two who are on the International panel totally ignored, something is wrong, or appears to be wrong.

In Steve Bucknor and Billy Doctrove, the West Indies have two umpires on the elite panel, unlike days gone by, no umpire can stand in a Test match in which his country is involved and that is understandable and good for the game.

Four on int'l panel

In Clyde Duncan and Norman Malcolm - for on-the-field duty and Clancy Mack and Goaland Greaves - for television duty, the West Indies have four umpires on the International panel.

Unlike days gone by, only one umpire can stand in a one-day match in which his country is involved, and although, but for the length of the game, there is no difference between a Test match and a one-day match as far as decisions are concerned, even though it should be two neutral umpires for Test matches and ODIs, that, for the time being and until the ICC sees the light, is also good for the game.

The difference between the umpires for a Test match and for a ODI is that the ICC selects both umpires for a Test match, it selects one for a one-day international and the host country selects the other from one of its own.

On top of that, the host country selects the third umpire (television) and the fourth umpire (reserve) for both Test and one-day matches.

While there is no problem, obviously, with Billy Bowden of New Zealand, Simon Taufel of Australia umpiring the two Test matches against Sri Lanka and with whoever is the visiting umpire or umpires for the one-day matches, with Greaves serving as the third umpire in both Test matches, with Duncan serving as the fourth umpire in both Test matches, with Duncan serving as one of the two umpires in all three one-day matches, with Greaves as the third umpire in all three one-day matches, with Terrence Birbal and Vincent Bullen, who are not members of the International panel, down to be the fourth umpires in the three ODIs, with Malcolm and Mack, who are members of the Inter-national panel, not asked to do anything at all in any of the matches, something seems fishy - and very fishy at that.

Lest it be forgotten, recently there was an impasse between the West Indies board and the West Indies Cricket Umpires Association (WICUA) which led to the association pulling out all members and stopping them from officiating during the last two rounds of the domestic Carib Beer Series and, with the board attempting to get some of the association's members to break ranks and fulfil their assignments.

Duncan, for example, should have officiated in a sixth-round match and did not. Bullen also should have done one and did not. Greaves was asked to do one and said no, and Malcolm was asked if he was available to do one of the seventh-round matches but said no after explaining that he was a member of the WICUA, and that as the assistant secretary and treasurer he was not prepared to go against his association.

Nothing wrong

To some, with Duncan and Greaves involved in the Sri Lanka series after standing against the board, nothing is wrong. To me, however, something does not seem right - and it does not seem right for at least one reason.

It is possible that Duncan and Greaves are in not because the board decided to turn the other cheek but probably because, with only four International umpires, with Malcolm and Mack being the other two, the board had no choice.

Strange

What is important, however, what makes it really fishy, what makes so many believe that Malcolm and Mack, and especially so Malcolm, who is on the international panel for on-field duty, have been done an injustice is the fact that after stepping up, substituting for the striking umpires, and rescuing the board, Birbal and Bullen have been elevated past two more qualified umpires who did not respond to the board's request.

Like the selection of some players, that is strange - to the extent where one wonders if it is victimisation.

Coming from a board whose responsibility is to guide, to nurture, to build, to develop, to unite, to seek solutions and to make peace, if that is so, that would be irresponsible, it would be high-handed, it would be unfair and it would be another sad day in West Indies cricket.