Bucknor happy to officiate India-Pakistan tie as his 100th Test
By Our Sports Reporter
KOLKATA, March 14: Steve Bucknor, the man who is set to become the first umpire to officiate in 100 Tests, says that he was happy to stand in a Pakistan-India match to get to this milestone.
“It is something very special to be supervising a match between Pakistan and India and doing so at the Eden Gardens makes it all the more special,” said the Jamaican umpire who has officiated in four World Cup finals.
“It is good to be there but I do not worry about records. It’s the game that matters and if your start worrying about landmarks my job may suffer.
Pakistan and India go into the second Test of the three-match series on Wednesday after the tourists pulled off a sensational draw in the first match that ended on Saturday.
Earlier, in an interview published in the Times of India, Bucknor said that the animosity between the Pakistan and Indian players on the field was not as bitter as it was in the Ashes series.
“The rivalry is more intense in the Ashes and there is a lot of sledging involved as well. I would say an umpire’s job in an India-Pakistan series is to maintain peace; basically we need to pre-empt any flare-ups.”
Bucknor felt that use of technology in cricket had helped the umpires a great deal.
“If I have made a tough decision, I can later go back and check whether I made the right call. It helps us not to repeat mistakes.”
Agreeing that there was no harm in using technology in a bigger way, he however said that the human element needed to be kept in mind and a line be drawn somewhere so that the on-field umpires do not become redundant.
There were a fewer cheats in the game today he said.
“Players know that if they cheat, they will be found out very easily, thanks to the technology. There are still a few gentlemen left in the game.”
What are the most difficult decisions to make for an umpire?
“The bat-pad verdicts are very difficult to adjudge, especially in the subcontinent. With so much noise around the ground it is difficult to differentiate between the two sounds.”
Would the sinckometer be of any help in this regard?
“It can be a valuable tool and can eliminate errors if the ICC chooses to place it in the hands of the umpires.”
Bucknor, called the “Slow Death” for thinking long and hard before giving his verdict said that in case of an edge, he first saw it and then heard the noise.
“I then marry the two in my mind before arriving at any conclusion.”
Asked if the pitches the world over had eased out over the years, Bucknor pointed out that professional groundsmen had made a lot of difference.
“They know that if they do not produce a good pitch, they will lose their jobs. Take the Mohali pitch, for example. It eased out over the days that allowed Pakistan to fight back.
Bucknor plans to carry on till the 2007 World Cup in West Indies and then make a final decision on his career.
“I have already written a book on coaching umpires and once I retire, I will write my autobiography.”
