Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.AN international panel of Test match umpires will be set up by the International Cricket Council as the result of a sponsorship agreement announced at Lord's yesterday. Though the ICC chairman, Sir Clyde Walcott, said that he did not agree with the view that 'umpiring in some matches was not sufficiently impartial', pounds 1.1m of the National Grid's money begged to differ.
For 38 months from 1 February 1994, all Tests will be umpired by one official from the International Panel (who will sport the National Grid's logo on his coat pocket), and one appointed by the host country as before. In practice, the local umpire is likely to be a panel member too, though there will be the opportunity to give emerging umpires a chance to stand in a Test with a richly experienced international official. The ICC's match referees will also be sponsored (and appropriately attired), and asked to submit a confidential report on the performance of both umpires in each match.
Each of the nine Test nations has been invited to nominate two umpires to the panel, with England contributing two more to reflect the large number of full-time umpires in the country. The panel will thus consist of up to 20 officials, with its exact composition subject to review each July.
Nominations are still arriving and the membership of the inaugural panel will not be announced until mid-January. The only certain appointee is Dickie Bird, who will launch the scheme on 10 February when he stands in the opening Test of Pakistan's tour of New Zealand. England's introduction to the new system will be the first Test against the West Indies in Kingston on 19 February.
The sponsorship will meet the umpires' expenses, and they will be paid the usual salary of their country of origin plus a flat fee of pounds 200 per Test. There is money, too, for a Test umpires' conference, and a development programme which aims to improve the overall standard of umpiring. In return, National Grid gets the coat logos and a useful peg for an advertising campaign, while the ICC is also discouraging a simple 'independent' or 'neutral' as a description for the officials. 'National Grid International Panel' umpire is the preferred wording at all times. 'GIP' umpire might be a suitable acronym, given the amount of it they now receive. The new system should, in theory, attack the perceived bias which is the root of much dissent, but it remains to be seen how easily the old habits die. An umpire who raises his National Grid forefinger may still be risking a Tetley Bitter torrent of abuse.
Bland the showman, page 31
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments