Talk: The Third Umpire (TV Umpires)

The Third Umpire

An example of the narrative approach to evangelism
by Graeme Codrington

This talk can easily be used as it is in any country that plys ICC cricket, especially in the 7 Test playing countries. However, it can easily be adapted to any country where there is a sport which requires an umpire or referee to refer to a television replay to adjudicate a close call, normally a line call, where someone or something is either in or out, based on the line call by that referee. Make sense? Well, read the talk outline and see if that helps.
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It was in November 1992 that the Indian cricket team toured South Africa for the first time, and began an historic (to quote Trevor Quirk) 4 match Test series. It was a momentous occasion for South Africa, as it was the first major tour by an international cricket team since South Africa's readmission to world cricket. It was also a memorable tour, because of an innovation that South Africa brought to international cricket: The Television Third Umpire.

For many years, cricket was umpired by two men in the middle, with the help of a third umpire, who was really nothing more than a spare, in case, during the five gruelling ays of a test match, one of the umpires in the middle got sick, or something. But in this series, India and South Africa used television as a third umpire. Actually, it ws the third umpire who was given the ability to see TV replays of close line calls, and it would be his decision as to whether the batsman was in or out. This has since been extended to include boundary decisions, for fours and sixes.

The first Test of this series was held at Kingsmead, Durban, from 13-17 November 1992. Sachin Tendulkar, the diminutive Indian super-batsman, was just out of his teens but making a real name for himself in the game. South Africa batted first, and made 254 runs. India went into bat, and were struggling at 38/3. Tendulkar was going about his game in his usual way - hitting his shots. He struck one out to Jonty Rhodes, who picked up and threw in to Andrew Hudson at the bowler's end, as Tendulkar scrambled to get home. In the flurry of movement, it was unclear as to how the umpire should call, so for the first time in international cricket, the umpire turned to the umpire's hut and signaled with both hands (show the signal), and called for a TV replay and the Third Umpire. The world (or at least all the cricket fans in the world) held their breath. After a couple of agonising moments, the green light came on. In those days this meant that the batsman had to go (that is, he was out!). --They have since changed it so that red means out and green means in.-- Tendulkar put his bat under his arm and started the long walk back to the changeroom. The TV replay clearly showed that he was just a few centimetres (exact distance to come) out of the crease as the bails came off. The Third Umpire had struck the first time. It is now not uncommon for at least one or two decisions to be referred to the Third Umpire, every day of a test match, and very often during one day games.

Possible Applications