Time to fire the Tyrant

Once again the cricketing world hears news on Umpire Steve Bucknor. He has reported that he received threatening phone calls. If this is true, it is very bad for cricket. This is after all a game. Mr. Bucknor is currently umpiring the England South Africa series in SA. But today, South African police have released a report that there is no substance to his claim. Frankly, now, I really doubt this threat issue in first place. As per media reports Mr. Bucknor had a poor showing during the current test series. He had lots of confrontation with the South African captain.

In order to cover his irresponsible show man ship during the test series, Mr. Bucknor is now trying to gain sympathy by diverting the issue. I may be speculating, why? going by various incidents in the past, I am forced to agree to the media reports on Mr. Bucknor.

In my opinion, Steve Bucknor, without doubt is a terrible umpire, apart from his poor judgment of the game, he goes one step further and tries to push undue influence on the players. He is often caught behaving like a tyrant managing director. There are innumerable poor decisions given by him that affect the result of the game. Indians have gone through his ridiculous methods of shoddy umpiring.

Hope we all remember how he treated Patel, he might be a school kid , but he is playing for India. He is an international cricketer representing his country, That itself demands respect from Officials. Mr. Bucker over stepped and treated him like a school kid, Mr. Bucknor behaved like a school head master. There was no need to do that. He just wanted to show what he is all about. He got away from this.

Who can ever forget his cheap mockery of Rahul Dravid’s during the ball tampering issue? Considering the responsibility and job portfolio of Umpires, they are similar to judges in the court of law. Their main responsibility is to enforce the rules of the game. They are expected to maintain a decent decorum. We all still remember how Mr. Bucknor mimed to ridicule Dravid. Let me tell you Rahul Dravid is no banana player, he tops most cricketing rating today one of the icon of the game, he is known of his sportsmanship and calm heads down behavior during the game. He was insulted by Mr. Bucknor witnessed by the entire world, is it right for an umpire to behave in such a manner? ICC or BCCI did nothing about this till date. He got away.

In Australia, Mr. Bucknor gave the most ridicules LBW decision known to mankind. This time the victim was one Mr. Sachin Tendulkar. To me and most he is the best batsmen in the world today. Why Mr. Bucknor gave such a poor decision? If you think that decision was by mistake consider yourself as naive. I am sorry, No! Mr. Bucknor wanted to show the world that even the best batsman in the world is under his control. When someone is branded to be the best umpire in the world how can he miss such a no brainer decision? Like everyone watching the game Mr. B clearly knew it was a simply a ridicules decision.

Once again the world supported him by saying umpires are also human, hey! Let me tell you, when you cannot watch the ball from 22 yards I really don’t know a better place to watch the ball. Your sole job is to watch the ball period. I really don’t agree the weak claim that Mr. B did it by mistake; he did it to establish his power. He is guilty he knows it.

In the ongoing South Africa Vs England series, Bucknor started his drama to prove his authority, finally South African captain gave up to Mr. Bucknor, Yes! Smith did utter something to the umpire that was un-parliamentary; but ICC fails to note that all this incidents were fuelled by the sheer frustration of the fact that Mr.Bucknor had turned down three plumb LBW decisions against Graeme Thorpe. Two appeared to be definition decisions, meaning we can use them as specimens to explain what LBW is all about. Smith is very cool guy and plays genuine cricket. I think going by past records, Mr. Bucknor’s ego is the culprit again.

Who is going to account for this? How long the players and fans take these atrocious decisions and behavior of Steve Bucknor? Don’t they pay thousands of Rupees or Dollars or Rands to watch a genuine game, Why ICC is ignoring this poison ivy and letting it grow?

Today, ICC should not permit umpires like Steve Bucknor to steal the game for their self-centered causes. No one is indispensable, no one is bigger than the game, and hence it is high time to fire this guy mercilessly. It seems he was a soccer umpire, send him back there, cricket fans are too polite. He does not deserve politeness.