Marty Edgell - here and now

NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association | February 19, 2023

Marty Edgell took up umpiring after an invitation from his good friend Errol Cranney. Within 2 season Marty had progressed from 5th grade to make his first grade debut

A popular umpire amongst his peers and players Marty shares some of his most memorable moments during his time umpiring in NSW Premier Cricket

 

What year were you born?

1962

Where did you go the high school?

Belmore Boys

Did you play much cricket before you started umpiring? 

Played cricket from an early age, best years were when we all played Premier League 1st Division soccer in the winter and the same mates played cricket in the summer together from the age of 18 through to 28ish. Rodney Coker used to borrow his mum’s pushbike which had a basket at the front. Rodney would fill it full of beers and ride around to each player when we were fielding and deliver the beers. Some games got out of hand….

What age did you start umpiring?

34

What was the attraction to become an umpire?

My son was about to start playing Cawsey Shield for Manly and the coach Dr John Barker gathered the parents together before the first game and said “we need 2 umpires for the season, any volunteers?” I thought at the time that would be a good way to show Luke I was interested in the sport he had chosen and be able to watch each game. Laws night was held at the Forrestville Soccer Club and the course was being run by David Brandon, Errol Cranney.

Luke Edgell batting for Manly

Can you remember your first game as an umpire in Sydney Grade Cricket?

My first appointment by Peter Hughes, the Association Secretary at the time was a 5th Grade game at Jubilee Park, Petersham v Sutherland with Peter Hooper. We played through heavy rain that first day and tea was a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

How long did it take to progress through to First Grade?

After I completed the Park Umpires course Errol Cranney asked if I would like to Umpire of a Saturday afternoon in the local competition. 2 years later he asked if I would be interested in doing some Grade Umpiring. Things moved rather quickly and I Umpired my first 1st grade game in my 2nd season as a grade Umpire. Syd Uni v Bankstown with Greg Lill at Sydney University No 1. I noticed an older fellow warming up with the Bankstown team, just assumed it was the trainer, then he came out and played. I could hardly believe my eyes. Ken Hall, never saw a better slips fielder, never dropped one whilst I was umpiring and a legendry spinner to boot. I gave consecutive LBW’s and the journey started from there…

Who were the umpires you admired most when you started out as an umpire? 

I consider myself extremely fortunate as the trainers at the time in the NSWCUA were Darryl Hair and Simon Taufel. I definitely wanted to model myself on a combination of these two.

Darryl was a great decision maker and a legend to any upcoming Umpire at the time. I had the pleasure of Umpiring with him on a number of occasion and he had this aura about him, when he arrived at the ground everyone knew he had been appointed.

Simon was most knowledgeable on the laws and the most professional Umpire I have ever had the pleasure of working with. His preparation was faultless and his attention to detail was second to none, he even wore foundation under the blockout… Umpiring with him gave me the opportunity to see firsthand how he went about the business of Umpiring. I was fortunate to travel with Simon to Grafton and do the training course for Darren Goodgers troops one weekend.

Simon Taufel

Do you know how many games you umpired in Sydney Grade Cricket?

I believe its 197, 129 First Grade.

What was your most memorable moment as a cricket umpire?

So I get the appointment from Peter Hughes on Tuesday 5th March 2002… Boom, match of the round for sure. Randwick v Fairfield at Coogee Oval on Saturday 9th March. Important game for 2 reasons, whoever wins would be the Minor Premiers and the O’Reilly Medal would be sorted as well, either Grant Lambert or Richard Chee Quee, dependent on who gets points.

We arrive at the ground, walk out into the middle and….it’s a wet deck… but there had been no rain all week. So it’s on for young and old and not even a ball had been bowled. Well, all the umpires could do was wait for the ground to dry and get play under way.

Meanwhile word got out and there were cricket officials all over the place. Chee Quee’s on strike, Don Nash is bowling from the Northern end and Cheeks nicks one down leg and is caught by the keeper, instead of running off the pitch, Nash runs straight ahead and between leg stump and where Cheeks was standing. Contact was made and it’s on, Cheeks wants to belt Nash with the bat, Nash wants to take him apart, all hell breaks loose. Loved it.

Randwick won but I think the decision was overturned. Chee Quee won the O’Reilly Medal, Lambert ended up with the Benaud Medal that year.

Marty Edgell in his 100th first grade with Cameron Merchant and Justin Cox who both scored hundreds for Manly in the game

Most favorite ground in Sydney to umpire?

Coogee Oval. Probably because of the gym at the southern end or the beach traffic at the northern end…

Who were the three batsman you admired most as an umpire in Premier Cricket? 

Marty Heywood smashed the cover off it and was always a pleasure to be out in the field with.

Waverly Oval, Marty’s at the Southern end with me. Justin Dery’s bowling and hits the batsman on the pads, Not Out I say, Dery’s into me. As he gets to the popping crease on the way back to his mark, Marty looks down at him and says “couldn’t been out”, Dery “why not”, “wasn’t going fast enough to knock the bails off. He has a funny side as well.

Ian Moran was a quiet achiever. Just kept getting runs and taking wickets. He was there for my 1st First Grade Game and my 100th First Grade Game. I was there for his 100 wicket and his 10,000th run. Unfortunately as much as I tried I had more chance of striking up a conversation with Marcel Marceau.

Greg Mail won many games single handedly for Sydney University. Always seemed to be in the zone. Another all-rounder who was so dangerous with the bat. If you didn’t get him early he was away.

Martin Haywood batting for NSW

Who were the three bowlers you admired most as an umpire in Premier Cricket?

Danny MacLauchlan. I rocked up to Manly Oval for the first time and my partner in crime is Errol Cranney. Round 1, 2002/2003, Manly v Western Suburbs, Cranney says “which end ya want”, “I want the quicks”, ok you’ve got the Southern end, oh and by the way, Wests have this very fiery bowler, he’ll be bowling from your end. One day game, first ball my end, “that’s a wide”, Danny “f***** W***”, “mate we’ve got the marks now, anything outside that’s a wide”. Next ball, “that’s a wide”, Danny’s into me again “**** ***** ***”, Next ball, inside by mere millimeters, Danny turns to me and say’s “well that’s gotta be a f***** Wide as well.

I walk all the way back to his mark giving him as much as he was giving me as I hadn’t learnt by that stage how to control my temper. I rate Danny the fastest bowler in grade cricket at the time. Batsmen were genuinely scared of him. Especially when the captain would use him to clean up the tail.

Scott Thompson. Scott was playing for St George when I first had the pleasure. “Umpy, stand back here.” FFS, I must be 4 metres behind the stumps. Worked, not to many No Balls over the years. Quality all-rounder. The batsman needed to be on their game or it would be all over very quickly.

Daniel Jackson. The perfect fast bowler if a bad temper can takes wickets. He played it tough and didn’t accept poor decisions lightly. Sort of bowler that could take early wickets or be the bowler Greg Davidson would bring on to break up a partnership. Good bloke to boot.

All the above bowlers had that bit of lunatic in them and I liked that, kept me on my game.

Who were the three players you admired most over the years for their competitive spirit and the way they played the game?

Ken Hall was a true gentleman on or off the field, led by example.

Greg Davidson was a knowledgeable captain and a true leader of men.

Adam Crosthwaite was a tough bloke to umpire but he got the best out of his players and was a fine batsman. Not many bowlers got the better of him, some simply didn’t know how to bowl to him. He was also a great keeper and he had the ability to put many batsman off their game.

Ken Hall

We can only assume there were quite a few characters in the game you had to keep an eye on in the field. Is there a particular moment or story you’d like to share about one of the characters?

Haha, where do I start? OMG how’s this bunch, Paul Ryan, Neil Maxwell, Anthony Kershler, Tony Clark, Adam Crosthwaite, Greg Matthews, Michael Goldsmith, Sam Roberts, Don Nash, Michael Goeke and Dean McGee. Tough buggers all of em out in the field.

One memory I still laugh about was a Semi Final Manly v Balmain at Sutherland. Luke Edgell opening the batting, Neil Maxwell opening the bowling. Great contest, tough cricket. Balmain won and after the match I’m sitting talking to Maxy and Luke comes up and sits alongside me and says something to the effect “what a great game dad”. Maxy couldn’t believe I’d umpired a game with my son playing. He had no idea. Jaw nearly dropped to the floor. In went the report to the association re: Fathers Umpiring their Sons.

Who were the two captains you admired most for the way they played the game?

Greg Mail, Sydney University was a captain that led by example.

Paul Ryan, St George was a hard task master and expected every player in his First Grade team to be totally committed.

Is there any particular game you’ve umpired that stands out above all others? 

Randwick v Campbeltown at Coogee Oval. Last session of the day about a dozen pommy’s come down to the fence straight from the Coogee Bay Hotel. One strips off and charges onto the field and grabs middle stump at the northern end, unbeknown to the first streaker, a second streaker jumps the fence and chases the bloke with the stump and tackles him in the outfield to the laughter of many people sitting around the ground at the time. Most on the way back home from the beach.

Who’s been the biggest influence in your involvement in cricket?

Errol Cranney, mentor, mate and champion bloke all rolled into one. Errol always kept me grounded, was and still is a great sounding board. My happiest moments ever whilst umpiring were spent out on the field with Errol. Would stand by me through thick and thin.

Peter Hughes. It was always the one day game before Christmas I’d have an issue with. Hughesy would appoint me and we always had our Christmas Party on the Friday night before that round. It would get to around 9pm and I’d ring Hughesy and say words to the effect “Pete I’m not feeling well, cant umpire tomorrow”, he’d blow a fuse, umpires were fearful to pull out of any round as Hughesy would have to reschedule many changes through the grades to accommodate that one change and he’d let you know it in no uncertain terms. I knew when the competition resumed early January I just sensed I’d be on my way from Collaroy Plateau to Bensons Lane. Middle of summer, 40 degrees, Turf farm one side and they may be rolling the blood and bones in the cattle farm on the other side, a Billion flies and………oh no, Kershler..

Errol Cranney

Who was the funniest umpire you’ve had the pleasure to umpire with?

Greg Lill was the funniest guy to umpire with. We laughed our way through many games. 

Who is your favourite all time cricketer growing up?

Either Dennis Lillee or Jeff Thompson. One of the best opening attacks ever.

Who is your favorite cricket commentator?

Great bunch at present, probably Adam Gilchrist.

What did you enjoy most about umpiring?

The comradery between the umpires and the amazing catches I’ve seen taken. The batsmen and bowlers get talked about a lot of the time, but the teams that could field really well won many games without a strong bowling attack.

Marty Edgell umpitring his 100th first grade game. William Hendricks was his partner.

Who would you consider the top 2 umpires in the game today?

Unfortunately the way the officials umpire today leaves a lot to be desired. At the top level there is no need to get into position for run outs, just go upstairs. No balls being called from replays. Soon they’ll be there just to stop any fights. So it’s probably 2 umpires from Sydney’s 1st Grade comp.

If you’re in the middle seat of the middle row of Qantas QF1 flight to London which two umpires from any level would you choose to on your left and right?

Errol Cranney and Peter Tasker

Technology – good or bad for cricket from an umpire’s perspective?

Bit of both. Getting the decision correct is good for the fans and Sportsbet. Unfortunately it’s a bad look for the umpire when one gets overturned.

What’s the best advice you ever received?

Simon Taufel mentioned “Here and now”. Said this to myself as I walked out onto the field before the start of each session and also if I felt my concentration drifting as it helped me focus on nothing but the next ball.

Do you like the modern game and what can the game do to make it better for umpires?

The current T20’s are great for players to make more money and set themselves up for life. The amount of cricket games happening mean it’s better for umpires as there are more opportunities now than ever before to make a living out of it.

What advice would you offer a young 20 year old who has the ambition of umpiring Test Cricket?

Be approachable, don’t be afraid to admit you’ve got one wrong in the captains meeting as we are only human, learn from your mistakes, support you’re partner like he’s your only mate, cause at the time he may well be. “Experience plays a major part in good umpiring” and that won’t happen overnight. Don’t take yourself too seriously and build rapport with the players. Get to know the people that make the selections….could also help.

What are your hobbies?

Reading, Golf, Photography and BOBNett.

Are there any lessons from your time in cricket that you take into work or life in general?

Umpiring taught me how to keep cool and think straight under enormous pressure, these lessons I have been able to adapt to all parts of my life, personal and business.