Like cricketers, umpires also need practice as John Gascoigne recalls a recent intra-club practice match polishing up his umpiring skills.
Almanac Cricket: Kew v Power House – The Spirit of Cricket
November 17, 2020 by 3 Comments
Phil Hill loves his cricket having played and umpired in the Mercantile Cricket Association all his adult life. And, the spirit of the game is well and truly alive as he recounts the goodwill displayed between teams in a recent game he umpired.
Local cricket: F Grade injustice!
February 28, 2020 by 15 Comments
You be the judge. Was David Bridie robbed on the weekend?
Helmets and Parachutes
December 9, 2019 by Leave a Comment
High pressure hoses, parachutes & helmets, and the laws of cricket. What does it all mean? Phil Hill explains.
Blind Deaf and Clueless; Park cricket Returns
September 16, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Phil Hill looks forward to the return of park cricket and umpiring in the Merks
Blind Deaf and Clueless: Cricket and the death of the quaddie
March 22, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Phil Hill is inspired by a photo of the two teams playing in the preliminary final he umpired on the weekend to take this wander through cricket umpiring, professionalism, changing quaddie habits, scoring, the heat in curries, the adding up of scorebooks and umpiring. [Contains traces of dentistry – JTH]
Blind, Deaf and Clueless: The Mandibular Block and Park Cricket Finals
March 10, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Dr Hill imparts some wisdom on the application of local anaesthetic and how to deal with a moist pitch
Blind, Deaf and Clueless: Wide of the Mark
March 1, 2017 by 1 Comment
Umpire Phil Hill clears up the notion of premeditated shabbiness and while doing so explains the concept of the ‘wide’ in cricket. [Vintage Hill – Ed]
Blind, Deaf and Clueless: Chuckers, Part Two
February 8, 2017 by 3 Comments
Are you an idiot? Take Phil Hill’s chucking test and find out.
Almanac Cricket – Blind Deaf and Clueless: A Modest Proposal
December 9, 2016 by 1 Comment
Phil Hill is back considering AFL umpiring in the context of the laws of cricket
Blind Deaf and Clueless: Hold on to Their Hat
November 26, 2016 by 1 Comment
Phil Hill lives up to his reputation with this next look into the life of the umpire. It seems, in some cases, it’s a matter of volume, and hat-holding.
Blind, Deaf and Clueless: Why Australia Lost the Test
November 11, 2016 by 1 Comment
Phil Hill turns to the Laws of the game to explain why Australia lost in Perth. It appears South Africa got the Rabada green
Almanac Cricket – Blind, Deaf, and Clueless: But I Got Rhythm
November 3, 2016 by Leave a Comment
One of the lines of the year: “Brand new cricket umpires stand out like me trying to get a 12 mm long, 4.8 wide neck Strauman implant out of its packaging.” See what that means as Phil Hill brings cricket, life and dentistry together in one place – and at one pace. Although there are other lines like “I think it arises from the habit new umpires have of being in love with their ball counter” which are worth contemplation as well.
Almanac Cricket: Blind, Deaf and Clueless and Cricketless
October 26, 2016 by Leave a Comment
No cricket this weekend, but Phil Hill still manages to come up with the (botanical) goods.
Almanac Cricket: Wash Out
October 12, 2016 by 1 Comment
Umpires should keep their mouths shut says Phil Hill, who should know, as he relates a tale of weather, ground conditions and aberrant behaviour.
Cricket and conflict
February 7, 2015 by 7 Comments
Melbourne-based cricket umpire John Gascoigne on the stick he cops as an umpire.
The spirit of the game – off the long run, on the high horse
December 21, 2014 by 9 Comments
Dave Brown is off the long run to mount his high horse and dig one into the ribs of weak-kneed, lily-livered cricket umpires not enforcing rules against time wasting and sharp practice.
Loneliness of the Long Distance Cricket Umpire
October 30, 2014 by 3 Comments
John Gascoigne debuts with a ripper yarn about the dramas, oddities and nuances of local cricket told from a unique perspective. He’s been an umpire for 25 years – so he’s seen it all (hearing it all was a different matter).
Umpires’ Day at the Gabba
December 3, 2011 by 4 Comments
The second day of the First Test between Australia and New Zealand will be remembered as a day when weirdness and officialdom took over the game. Actually, let me start again: the second day of the First Test between Australia and New Zealand will not be remembered.
PB’s Rant: Lawyers and TV – the lunatics are running (ruining?) my asylum
Peter Baulderstone fires both barrels at video decision making infecting golf, cricket, footy – and society by extension. Crap decisions over the weekend and three days off the grog and sugar can make a man cranky.