TheSportsCampus

Since officiating his first international cricket match in 1994, an ODI between New Zealand and South Africa at Perth, Aussie Daryl Harper has gone on to become one of the most recognizable figures in the world game. Amongst the inaugural inductees of the ICC Elite Umpires Panel, Harper is one of the world's most experienced umpires, with his tally of total number of matches officiated second only to Rudi Koertzen amongst the umpires still a part of the game. Daryl took some time out of his busy schedule (he's currently in South Africa for the IPL) for this exclusive interview with TheSportsCampus.com. 

 

Q. There was a lot of confusio n over the past couple of months in the build-up to the IPL, especially after the Lahore attacks. Now of course it's been shifted to South Africa but, prior to that decision being made, were you nervous at the thought of coming to India, like the number of players who expressed their fears?

A. I was never nervous about returning to India for the IPL. Last December, I returned to India less than a week after the Mumbai attack. In fact, my return flight took me into Mumbai where I had to grab a tuk-tuk to move from the international terminal to the domestic terminal without any security. At both venues in Chennai and Chandigarh, security was extremely well organized, so I never had any concerns about returning to India for cricket.

Q. You were of course in India during England's tour when the Mumbai attacks took place, and officiated the Chennai Test which was not only a great test match in itself but also meant a lot to the Indian people for obvious reasons. Did you know, prior to the match, that this would be more than just a game but one of the best indicators of the spirit of the game?

A. I prepared myself for the Chennai Test, knowing that there would be world-wide attention to the contest. I just didn't predict what an incredible Test it was going to be. I rate it as one of the best struggles in which I have officiated. England was on top of that match right up until Andrew Strauss declared in the second innings on the fourth afternoon. Then it was Viru who took charge and hammered the English attack as if he was playing Twenty20. Yuvraj also played a fine innings but for Sachin to flick that final delivery to fine leg to bring up his 41st Test century and the winning runs...it was an emotional moment for millions of Indians and at least one Australian! That moment made me realize that there isn't much difference between Test cricket and Bollywood in India. It was a brilliant script.

Q. You've always been old school and have great affection for the longer format of the game. Did that ever make you feel skeptical about T20's place on the World Game? Did you ever believe it's going to be harmful for cricket?

A. What do you mean about me always being old school? Just because I've been umpiring since the twentieth century, I'm not really that ancient! But I have always been able to adapt to changes over the years...and I love this revolution that is Twenty20 cricket. Last year's IPL was well attended and it was the talking point for a couple of months around the cricket world. Attendances in Australia and England at domestic levels have been heartening so the cricket world seems to have embraced Twenty20. Since then I've umpired Tests in India, New Zealand, England, and Bangladesh and throughout the Caribbean. The crowds may have been smaller than Twenty20 crowds but the Tests have been as intense and as keenly fought as ever.

Q. The first T20 International that you umpired was at the World Championships. How much of a change was it to officiate this whole new format, other than signaling the "free hits"?

A. I had umpired 141 ODIs when I had my first Twenty20 World Cup experience at The Wanderers. I compared the experience to the opening overs of an ODI with Sehwag or Chris Gayle blazing, followed by the final overs with plenty of wickets in hand. I loved the music, dancing girls and razzmatazz. In hindsight, it was a big change to swing to this format.

Q. At the start of the T20 Championships did you envision the format to take the world by storm the way it has?

A. I was very much aware of the successes enjoyed by domestic Twenty20 competitions in South Africa and England. Attendances in England especially, had been stunning. I am a passionate baseball fan so I anticipated that this new format was as close to a baseball package of entertainment as we could offer. Three hours of swashbuckling action...big hitting, superb fielding skills and bowlers adapting by varying the predictability of their deliveries...I knew that I would love this format so why wouldn't the paying public?

Q. With India's Tour of New Zealand over your next destination is South Africa, and judging by your online journal you had a great time in India in the first edition of the IPL. However, without the boisterous Indian crowds (which almost definitely rules out the firecrackers that preceded the first match of last year) do you feel the IPL this time around is not going to be as big a spectacle as it was last time around?

A. The 2008 IPL can never be repeated or equalled...anywhere. It was history making stuff with the introduction of the franchise system and the excitement of player auctions. This year's IPL, even though the "I" has been removed from IPL, will have its own characteristics. No country can expect to match India for its boisterous crowds, but at least we umpires will have a better chance of hearing edges this year. In Mumbai for my opening match last year, my colleague Steve Davis and I discovered smoldering plastic and burning papers all over the ground after a spectacular fireworks display. We had to scramble about for ten minutes with ground staff to clear the ground before the first ball could be bowled.

The most exciting aspect of the IPL remains the opportunity for young Indian cricketers to be exposed to world-wide scrutiny. Perhaps one innovation that could be introduced would be for every team to bid for two umpires at auction...then again...maybe that's not such a good idea.

Q. During the last IPL you witnessed the "moral policing" regarding the cheerleaders. When you first heard the complaints against the cheerleaders "obscene" presence, were you bemused by it?

A. I've been to India many times since my first visit in 1999 for a Test in Kanpur. I have a good understanding of Indian culture and traditions, so the "moral policing" was expected. You probably aren't aware of this but I play a small role in the recent Bollywood release..."Victory." I told Harmun Baweja on opening night that I was disappointed for him that he never once managed to kiss Amrita Rao, his stunning leading lady. But I've seen a Hindi movie or three so it really came as no surprise to me. Learning respect and appreciation for other cultures has been one of the benefits of my employment.

Last year as third umpire I was responsible for checking boundaries. In this photo, I am checking on the Hyderabad cheer girls to make sure they didn't breach any boundaries.

Q. During your time as an umpire you must have definitely gotten some decisions wrong, sometimes that possibly changed the outcome of the match. When you realize that your decision was in fact incorrect, what is your usual reaction? Do you just accept it as a human error and forget about it soon or does it keep pricking your conscience for substantial amount of time?

A. We all definitely get some decisions wrong. I can give you a list of my errors if you like! On most occasions an umpire knows within seconds if he has made a poor decision. The reaction of the batsman or the wicketkeeper can be an immediate indicator. After that, there is always the replay screen. The good decisions aren't considered worth replaying time and time again.

I would love to be able to just forget about it and move on as if nothing had happened. But sadly, I am human and I try to use the error as a stimulus for me to focus even harder on the action about to transpire. The next ball is always more important than the previous one.

Q. You're clearly a fan of technology as everyone who has seen your personal website can see. But, are you comfortable with the usage of technology in the game in the form of referral decisions, or do you believe it's detrimental to an umpire's credibility?

A. The Decision Review Trials that have taken place in Tests in the past year have highlighted the fact that technology can increase the percentage of correct decisions in most games. Just how far that technology will encroach on the umpire's traditional role remains to be seen. My concerns are for the impact that reviewing decisions at international levels will have on the countless umpires who will never have the technological support available. I would be disappointed if there was further erosion of the respect shown to the umpire, the opponent and the game.