My Passion with Steve Hanstock: Decision to go into bat as an umpire has reaped the rewards

Steve Hanstock, accountant at Sheffield-based business turnaround and insolvency specialists Wilson Field talks about his passion for cricket umpiring.

I HAVE played cricket for more than 40 years. In the 1970s I played in the South Ridings League for Treeton and Oughtibridge before a back injury put a stop to any sporting activity, forcing me to give up cricket and football.

I was 40 before I started playing again and years of not playing had badly affected my game. I had been a fast bowler but I’d lost all of my upper arm strength and just couldn’t do it any more.

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I started again in a lower league which is when I got my first taste of umpiring. There are no appointed umpires in those leagues – players just take it in turns. In recent years I have started to enjoy the umpiring more than the playing itself.

At the end of the 2009 season I stopped playing altogether and started a training course. When you have been playing cricket for so long, you think you know it all – until you do that course. I had been playing the game for 40 years and I still didn’t know all the laws. It was quite an eye opener.

I had to take an examination which proved to be more difficult than I expected, but I passed and was officially qualified to take up my role.

I’ll never forget the first time I walked onto the pitch as an umpire. I had passed the course, joined the Yorkshire and Derbyshire League as an umpire, and when my first match came round I was petrified.

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I got there really early to get everything ready and then ended up walking out onto the field without my specs on. I just had to carry on. I can see without my glasses but it’s a strain. I just couldn’t believe I’d been so prepared for every eventuality and then forgot my glasses. It must have been the nerves.

I soon realised that as an umpire appointed by the league you are expected to know everything. There is so much responsibility and so much to learn. All you can do is make sure you have an answer for whatever is likely to happen in the match and then for things that might only happen once a year, you have the rule book in your pocket.

Last season I had to refer to it a couple of times when there were situations I wasn’t sure how to deal with.

You don’t learn properly until you get out there and do it and that is one of the things I enjoy about it. I am learning something new with every game and the more experienced umpires are always very helpful.

And of course as a cricket fan, I’ve got the best view.

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My ambition is not to be the best umpire in the league – although I’m not sure how that could be judged anyway – but just for the players not to pull their faces when I turn up to officiate.

It is something I look forward to every week. If a match is cancelled, I am always disappointed. My only wish is that I’d taken it up years ago.