Rulers of the crease

Cricket-na niyamo (Laws of Cricket) by Keki Doodhwala. Published in Gujarati in 2010 by the author 12/1705, Vakil Street, Shahpore, Surat 395003. Pp: 110. Price: Rs 50.

In view of the immense intensity each umpiring decision receives from radio and television commentators these days, the ear-splitting, blood-curdling appeals by bowler and fielders for every snick, flick or trick, followed by stomping of feet and shaking of heads in fake disbelief, one wonders who would want to be a cricket umpire? Perhaps only the very dedicated ones or masochists would wear an umpire’s uniform.

Their ordeal has been multiplied many-fold by the dreaded UDRS (Umpiring Decision Review System) whereby a batsman or a fielding captain can counter appeal to the TV umpire.

The English phrase: "An umpire’s decision is final” is a thing of the past. To me umpires are the unsung heroes. Compared to their six hours a day relentless and thankless vigil, scoring a century or taking five wickets/catches in an innings appears easy.

That’s why I am so happy that Keki Doodhwala, a first class umpire himself, has written a comprehensive and easy to understand book on the laws of cricket. As it is lucidly written in Gujarati it will also help those whose knowledge of English is limited.

Usually, a rule book is boring. But Doodh­wala has made it interesting by drawing sketches. He has not only explained each and every rule but emphasized the spirit of cricket which is dying if not dead in certain instances in the last few decades.

Doodhwala surely knows what he is talking about. In 1991 he passed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) umpiring examination. Since the last two decades he is on the BCCI Umpiring Panel and has umpired about 150 first class matches, one-day and Twenty20 cricket games.

He has also umpired international matches between India and Australia in men’s cricket and India-New Zealand matches in women’s cricket in Surat, Vapi and Baroda.

Doodhwala wears another hat too, as a radio and television broadcaster. Also, he has won quite a few quiz shows on All India Radio.

tKeki Doodhwala: zeal for cricket

Umpiring and popularity seldom go hand in hand but the author has managed both. He is so much liked and respected by Test cricketers that former captain and cricketing great Nari Contractor has written an inspiring Foreword. To quote Contractor, "I am convinced that it is his zeal for the game which has motivated the author to bring out this publication. This is in spite of knowing that it is not going to be a (financially) profitable proposition… I admire Keki Doodhwala on his efforts and congratulate him.”

Other cricketing icons to salute Doodhwala are Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Farokh Engineer, Rahul Dravid, Srini Venkatraghavan and world renowned statistician Anandji Dossa.

All these legends cannot be wrong.

Parsis have given to the world famous cricketers (too many to name), commentators and writers (A. F. S. Talyarkhan, Dicky Rutnagur) and statisticians (my favorite B. B. Mama). They have also produced umpires of repute: Dara Pochkhanawala, Dara Dotiwalla, Bomi Ja­mula, Piloo Reporter among others. Doodh­wala is a valuable addition.

May I put forth one suggestion to the author? If the book is to be reprinted, why not have an action picture of an umpire signaling a six or lifting his finger to send a batsman back to the pavilion?

KERSI MEHER-HOMJI