SUITE 20 THE CAVENDISH CENTRE  WINCHESTER  HAMPSHIRE  SO23 0LB  TEL: 01962 859559 / 01264 737354  FAX: 01962 870957  EMAIL 
A Good Hair Day
My affection for the umpire Darrell Hair started when he had the bottle to call Mularithuran for throwing in his own country and stood up to the political storm that followed. By Big Bri Quantrill
After that bold action anyone who thought they could change his mind after he ceremoniously tipped the bails off the stumps to end the game at the Oval were very mistaken.
Unfortunately his action in the earlier skirmish just led to a charter for chuckers as the cricket administrators came up with the ludicrous solution of the 15% arm bend.
Mulari it was discovered, arm bent at around 14%, how convenient!
Now a vast percentage of kids playing around in parks show an alarming habit of breaking the wrist and in my opinion throwing the ball. Anyone who has watched the games in the last few seasons against Sussex will be aware that this practice is not just confined to the lower echelons of the game.
How on earth is an umpire able, with the naked eye, to adjudicate if the break in the arm is over 15% or not? Therefore the practice will grow more common year on year. It is an area that should be quickly handed back to the jurisdiction of the umpires before the game becomes too dependent on technology.
At the age of ten I had a painful lesson on questioning an umpire’s decision when playing for Burnt Oak Lane primary school. Our master Mr Burns gave me out after the ball had hit my forearm and carried to the wicketkeeper. Later going home on the bus I asked Mr.Burns if it was out if the ball hit the forearm.
"Are you questioning my decision boy? " roared the Scot to the astonishment of all the other customers on the upper level of the 21 bus, and at the same time cuffed me round the ear.
This abuse was obviously the defining moment in my slide down into the oblivion of third team cricket, and my legal advisers are already starting a claim for substantial damages!
The constant rumblings from those at the Rose Bowl who are in full time employment that the games never reach the fourth day on a Saturday, were well compensated last weekend by one of the most riveting days I have spent at any cricket match.
In front of one of the smallest weekend crowds I can recall (thank goodness for a few Brummies in the pavilion) a truly titanic struggle was resolved on the last
By Big Bri Quantrill

DUCK TIN LUPINS