Square Leg Umpiring This booklet provides an insight into the role and duties of acting as a Square Leg Umpire When performing the role as a Square Leg Umpire it is important to understand that whilst you may be a member of the batting team when you are acting as an umpire your role is impartial and thus you are not really a member of the batting team but you are a member of the umpiring team. If you have concerns of any nature, it is wise to consult with the appointed umpire. Victorian Womens Cricket Umpires Association Inc 2016/17 Square Leg Umpiring Assistance Program Page 1
Square Leg Umpiring (This article is taken from the WCCC 2016/17 Handbook - page 6) There may be occasions where you may be called on to act as a Square Leg Umpire. This position is equally as important as the main umpire, and involves a number of duties, which we list below for your information. Please read carefully: 1. Count the balls bowled in each over and confer with partner by way of a prearranged signal. 2. Watch for, then call and signal any short runs at your end. 3. Give descriptions (decisions) on appeals for: (a) Hit wicket (b) Stumped (c) Run out (at your end) 4. Call the signal No Ball when: the wicketkeeper does not remain wholly behind the wicket until the ball delivered by the bowler touches the bat or person of the striker, or passes the wicket or the striker attempts a run. 5. Check there are no more than two fielders behind the line of the popping crease on the on-side at the moment of delivery. 6. Be ready to give advice to partner in instances where he/she may have been unsighted. 7. Do not act as a coach whilst Square Leg Umpiring. Let us all remember that when we are umpiring we are taking on the responsibility for conducting the game in a fair and orderly manner. Victorian Womens Cricket Umpires Association Inc 2016/17 Square Leg Umpiring Assistance Program Page 2
1. Count the balls bowled in each over and confer with partner by way of a prearranged signal. Whilst the appointed umpire will count the deliveries in the over it is a good assist for him/her that the Square Leg Umpire also ensures the ball count is correct. The use of a ball counter is recommended. Umpires generally confer by way of a pre-arranged signal when there are two deliveries remaining to complete the over. It is recommended that, as the picture shows, the two split fingers shown on the leg nearest to the appointed umpire is the preferred method by doing this the fingers do not get lost in other clothing or bare arms. 2. Watch for, then call and signal any short runs at your end. When batters are running to score runs the Law states that a batter must have some part of her bat or person grounded behind the popping crease in order to complete a run. This batter obviously does not have the bat grounded behind the popping crease Victorian Womens Cricket Umpires Association Inc 2016/17 Square Leg Umpiring Assistance Program Page 3
3. Give descriptions (decisions) on appeals for: (a) Hit wicket It is important that whilst at square leg you fully concentrate on the popping crease and your peripheral vision will see what happens at the stumps. The reasoning for this being the batter must have some part of her bat or person grounded behind the popping crease. If the batter plays back be prepared for the possibility of a Hit Wicket decision Can be because the batter trod on the stumps Can be the batter hit the stumps by bat or person (b) Stumped If the batter plays forward be prepared for the possibility of a Stumping decision (c) Run out (at your end) When batters are running it is vital that you, as the Square Leg Umpire, are watching for the batter to touch down or make good her ground at your end. Sometimes it may appear that the batter may not be going to make it when a run out is on, a lot can happen in the final two or three metres, so focus is vital. Your peripheral vision will notice whether the bails have removed the correctly. All above cases it is not necessary for both bails to be removed - removal of only one bail is sufficient. Victorian Womens Cricket Umpires Association Inc 2016/17 Square Leg Umpiring Assistance Program Page 4
4. Call the signal No Ball when: the wicketkeeper does not remain wholly behind the wicket until the ball delivered by the bowler touches the bat or person of the striker, or passes the wicket or the striker attempts a run. 5. Check there are no more than two fielders behind the line of the popping crease on the on-side at the moment of delivery. Should there be more than two fielders behind square leg the umpire is obliged to call and signal no ball however in WCCC it is a good option should the Square Leg Umpire notice this before the bowler commences her run-up to notify the appointed umpire. This type of no ball offence is commonly just forgetfulness and in the Spirit of Cricket a nice gesture Picture shows the call and signal of no ball - Umpire to give a loud call of no-ball and one arm extended Victorian Womens Cricket Umpires Association Inc 2016/17 Square Leg Umpiring Assistance Program Page 5
6. Be ready to give advice to partner in instances where he/she may have been unsighted. Cases where this advice may be offered could be: the position of running batters when a catch is taken, did the ball carry on the full to a fielder in a case of a catch? was an outfield catch near the boundary taken within the field of play? did the ball reach, or carry, the boundary thus the ball is dead and boundary allowance to be given? Should either Umpire have need to leave position to consult with the other umpire then Dead Ball must be called The responsibility for calling a no ball for a full ball above the waist rests solely with the appointed umpire 7. Do not act as a coach whilst Square Leg Umpiring. The reason you are on the field is to fill the role of the Umpire at Square Leg Let us all remember that when we are umpiring we are taking on the responsibility for conducting the game in a fair and orderly manner. The WCCC encourages players to become involved in the Game of Cricket and when required to act as the Square Leg Umpire to take up that role willingly. The VWCUA also encourages the training, by experienced players, of players for that role. Technique is to have the trainee in front of the experienced player who shall be giving tuition upon every delivery. Essendon Maribyrnong Park with an experienced member training a younger player for Square Leg Umpiring duties during 2015/16 Victorian Womens Cricket Umpires Association Inc 2016/17 Square Leg Umpiring Assistance Program Page 6
Batter playing back be aware of a Hit Wicket possibility Batter playing forward be aware of a Stumping possibility On days of extreme heat the VWCUA has no issue with the player Square Leg Umpire holding a water bottle although it is expected the water is to be available for all players on the field, not just the batters. Clothing worn by the player Square Leg Umpire must be noticeably different from the fielding team and footwear must not be thongs/sandals etc. Footwear must be fully covered to avoid injury. Victorian Womens Cricket Umpires Association Inc 2016/17 Square Leg Umpiring Assistance Program Page 7