The best earn the right to get it wrong
Simon Taufel | June 02, 2023
In September 2019 I met up with former West Indies opening batsman Darren Ganga at the Hero CPL T20 event in the Caribbean. He is one of the commentators adding insights for the millions of viewers.
When he saw me, the smile on his face was a big as one of Chris Gayle’s sixes from his last century at Warner Park in St Kitts. Darren and I have a very good relationship built on respect and trust as player and umpire. The relationship got off to a rocky start though.
It was back in the Australian season of 2000/2001, not long after I umpired my first Test at the MCG at the age of 29. Darren played in that MCG Test and injured a hamstring and then missed the next Test and some following matches.
He worked hard, regained fitness and then opened the batting for the West Indies against Australia at the SCG, facing Glenn McGrath in his prime. It was in the twilight, as the artificial lights were just starting to take effect, that McGrath bowled an off-cutter to Ganga, rapping him on the pads in line with the stumps. I was at the bowler’s end and answered the appeal in the affirmative.
Ganga out for a low score, LBW to McGrath.
As I walked across to my square leg partner, Darrell Hair, I could tell that Darren wasn’t happy with the decision and I asked Darrell for his opinion. Darrell told me that he thought it was a little on the high side. At that moment, the giant screen at the SCG brought up the replay from mid-off. It was in slow motion and showed a big inside edge before the ball hit the pad. The crowd watched it unfold and when the ball hit the bat and then pad, in unison, they went “OOOhhhh”. I felt terrible and there was no hole big enough on the middle of the SCG for me to crawl into.
Eighteen years on, and Darren has not forgotten the decision either. You see, he shared with me his constant reminder he got that night after the match. It was a tattoo that symbolises the year, the country and a Japanese good luck symbol. Darren and I had a long chat about the decision, what the tour meant to him, and he was kind enough to share it with my CPL umpiring team at breakfast.
While I also had a scar of the decision (firmly etched in my mind and not on my arm), Darren also mentioned something else that I never expected him to share with the umpiring group. He told them how much respect he and the West Indian players had for me based on my training regime in the nets and preparation at the ground. Apparently, it did not go unnoticed how I would turn up for net training with the players ahead of each match and also run laps pre and post-match to warm up for my games. While Darren told the group that the decision hurt, it did not lessen his respect for me or my umpiring as he could see I was working on my game too and working as hard as he was to be successful.
Yes, it was somewhat painful to relive the error (again), but it was a highlight of my day to hear how a player of Darren Ganga’s quality had (and continues to have) respect for me as an umpire. It made me think of how the best in the business earn the right to get it wrong. It also demonstrates how breakdowns can lead to breakthroughs. Darren and I will always have that decision in common and we now have a much deeper respect for each other today, in our new roles.
