IF masks are in, we are out.
That’s the message from the bulk of Sunraysia’s cricket umpires regarding wearing masks while adjudicating in the middle, particularly in the Sunraysia summer.
Sunraysia Cricket Umpires Association (SCUA) director of umpiring Chris Howes said the already scant number of umpires was under threat less than a month from the season start.
“We would desperately be needing numbers anyway outside of the mask issue, we don’t have any new umpires at this stage and Dennis Berry is not umpiring so we’re going to be down to 11 umpires – and that’s at full availability,” he said.
“It’s not great when you’ve probably got to have eight in First Division.”
The SCUA had its annual general meeting on Wednesday night, with the umpiring fraternity clearly concerned with having to wear masks on top of other COVID-19 protocols.
“There’s only the one or two who might umpire (if masks need to be worn),” Howes said.
“Making someone like ‘Turtle’ (veteran umpire Noel Slade) umpire in a mask, he’s 74 years of age and anything above 25 degrees he’ll struggle with a mask on.”
Howes said personally he would not be able to wear a mask while umpiring, but the temperature isn’t the main issue.
“I wear prescription glasses and the things fog up,” he said.
“Even on a hot day your breath still goes into your glasses, the last thing I want to do is make bad decisions and the pressure of all the other COVID-
19 stuff with wiping the stumps, making sure players don’t spit on their hands or the ball, there’s enough going on without having a mask on your face.”
Howes, the Sunraysia Cricket Association and Cricket Victoria have all been advocating for umpires to be excused from wearing masks on the field – as the players are.
“These people down in Melbourne obviously don’t ever venture out of Melbourne, the DHHS people,” Howes said.
“These people making these decisions don’t live in the real world to be honest.”
Premier Daniel Andrews this week said he would not commit to an official policy review amid growing calls to relax mask rules in regional areas, saying “masks are under review all the time, everything’s under review all the time.”
The SCUA is putting a call out for anyone interested in joining the umpires and those interested can call Chris on 0400 670 763 or the attend one of the regular umpires meetings from 7pm Wednesdays at the umpires rooms at No.1 Oval.
