The history of umpiring in the Wellington region
by Peter Bidwell
With the assistance of Evan Watkin, the late Stan Cowman, and Mrs Pat Whiting (wife of the late Haig Whiting)
One only has to look at a history of the Cricket Wellington Umpires and Scorers’ Inc. to realise the more times change, the more they stay the same.
Since the birth of the Wellington Cricket Umpires’ Association on 11th October 1904, at the rooms of E C Batkin on Lambton Quay, there have been recurring themes, in particular the need to recruit more umpires and lift their standard of performance, to raise sufficient funds to meet their modest needs, frustration, and even bitterness, at the limited opportunities for advancement, and problems with captains’ reports on the performances of umpires, and player behaviour.
One only has to read a history of the first 80 years of the association compiled by a former president, secretary, life member, and one-day international umpire, Stan Cowman, to realise how strong the spirit and commitment was, especially when times were tough. In his annual report on the 1979-80 season chairman Stu Thorburn noted that “eight members carried the burden of active umpiring”, which makes the 22 active in the summer of 2010-11 quite an abundance by comparison.
On that October day in 1904, just eight men met under the convenership of Dan McKenzie, who was said to be the best umpire of his day, 29 years after the Wellington Cricket Association was formed in October 1875. Also present were Godfrey Warren, who became the first secretary, P Bevan, E B Vance, C E Stevens, A W Stephens, G Millward and T Barclay. They were our founding fathers. A F Wiren (noted cricket statistician and historian who contributed to the Wisden almanacs), W F Bethune and J H Reynolds sent their apologies, and were thus founders in absentia. A week after the 11th October meeting a further gathering formalised a number of things. McKenzie, Warren and A W Stephens were to draft the rules, and McKenzie, R Halley, and C E Stevens became the examination committee. Financial assistance was promised by the then Wellington Cricket Association, and the annual subscription was set at two shillings and six pence, 25 cents in today’s money, an amount that was retained for the first 20 years.
The first appointments were printed in The Evening Post newspaper on 25th October for games four days later, and the association had an immediately healthy muster with all nine matches having two umpires. Typically, play was impossible due to the weather, and the games were postponed till 5th November.
McKenzie was a man of considerable standing in the cricketing community. He was also a Wellington selector, and was a cricket writer for many years for the New Zealand Free Lance weekly. He would later be made a life member of the Wellington Cricket Association, alongside other early umpiring identities, Arthur Ashbolt, who stood in early international matches, the umpires’ first president C G Wilson, and an early chairman William Bock. Incredibly the latter celebrated his 80th birthday on 6th January 1928, when umpiring a first-class match between Wellington and Otago at the Basin Reserve! To make his birthday Bock received a “handsome cake” during the lunch break. Bock might well have been oldest New Zealander to perform at this level.
In his book 100 Summers, a history of Wellington cricket, Don Neely wrote of an unusual experience involving umpire McKenzie. New Zealand played New South Wales at the Basin Reserve on 7th and 8th March 1924, and the crowd reacted badly when McKenzie signalled the Auckland batsman Ces Dacre was run out. At the end of play, three policemen escorted McKenzie from the ground.
Remarkably, the formation of the New Zealand Cricket Umpires’ Association became a protracted affair. It was often a topic of discussion, and it seemed about to happen, when in 1946 a meeting in Wellington decided it would occur. However, it was not till a gathering in Palmerston North on 20th April 1957, that a national body became a reality.
The following year, the Wellington association’s annual meeting passed without dissent a long overdue motion to restrict the consideration of umpires for elevation to first-class status to those who had passed the association’s theoretical and practical examinations, and had subsequently served a full season as a senior club umpire. Previously accomplished players in Wellington with no qualifications might be preferred to a qualified umpire, the Wellington Cricket Association could have a strong influence in who was appointed or nominated for consideration, including at club level, and an umpire with no first-class experience might even be named to stand in a test match.
Creating a national association was expected, among other things, to result in a process that more often rewarded those with superior qualifications and experience. Changes for the better didn’t occur for some time.
Initially Wellington umpires would officiate in their street clothes before being issued with long white coats, and eventually short white coats with their traditional black trousers and white shoes. In more recent years Wellington umpires have worn attractive blue shirts, jerseys and jackets.
Jane Knewstub became Wellington’s first woman umpire in 1977, standing in several senior men’s club matches. Di Malthus joined the association in 1984, and she did numerous provincial women’s matches in addition to a one-day international. Kathy Cross became involved in the late 1990s. She was the second woman to umpire at top men’s provincial level, behind Canterbury’s Pat Carrick, and officiated in the women’s World Cups in 2000 in New Zealand and 2009 in Australia. Otherwise very few women have umpired men’s matches in Wellington.
The Wellington umpires’ association has a proud record in terms of test appointments. Fifteen of its members have stood in official test matches since New Zealand’s first against England in 1930. In the second test of that series, at the Basin Reserve, Thomas Cobcroft was the first Wellingtonian to achieve the honour, standing with Ken Cave, of Wanganui. Cobcroft, an Australian, had captained New South Wales against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1895-96, and soon after moving to New Zealand led the national team against selections from NSW and Victoria. He joined the Wellington umpires in 1924.
Steve Woodward umpired 24 tests, the greatest number by a Wellingtonian, which equalled the record among New Zealanders when he retired from international matches in 1992. He often umpired internationally alongside fellow New Zealander Fred Goodall, a West Coaster who lived for many years in Christchurch before finishing his first-class career in Wellington. They were together at Lancaster Park in Christchurch in 1980 for the second test against the West Indies when the visiting team sensationally refused to resume after tea on the third day after they disagreed with some umpiring decisions, and had to be persuaded to return, and Colin Croft barged into Goodall when running into bowl on the fourth morning. Woodward went on to umpire in two World Cups.
Other Wellingtonians to enjoy distinguished test careers were Trevor Martin and Dennis Copps. Eric Tindill earned himself a special place in New Zealand sporting history in 1959 in umpiring the first test against England at Lancaster Park. It allowed him to complete the unique record of having played test cricket and rugby for New Zealand, and to umpire and referee cricket and rugby respectively at test level. Tindill’s partner at Lancaster Park, Jack Cowie, was also from Wellington. He was an outstanding test bowler before becoming an umpire.
Increasingly it became harder for New Zealanders to umpire tests with the decision of the International Cricket Council to appoint neutral umpires. New Zealanders were forced to become fulltime and go overseas to stand in tests, and the opportunities were limited to a select few on elite panels. Evan Watkin was the last Wellingtonian to stand in a test. He did two of the Boxing Day tests at the Basin Reserve, the first involving India in 1998, and the other the West Indies the following year. In 2009 he made a third appearance. Watkin was originally named the third umpire for the second test against India at McLean Park in Napier, and stood for the last three days when Billy Doctrove, from the Caribbean island of Dominica, was unable to continue. Watkin was also an outstanding administrator. After becoming an umpire in 1982 he was a member of the Wellington umpires’ association executive committee and later board for 28 years, which included being treasurer, and for the last seven of them chairman.
Wellington and Hutt Valley had their own umpiring associations, which were involved in separately run club competitions, till they finally amalgamated at a special general meeting on 2nd December 1999, and became Cricket Wellington Umpires and Scorers’ Inc. In 1951, the Hutt association was granted affiliation to Wellington, but it went its own way again when there were complications following the establishment of the national umpires’ association. For decades a feature of the umpires’ season was the annual match between those from Wellington and the Hutt, which was always keenly contested.
Though the Hutt Valley Cricket Association was not founded till a meeting on 1st October 1928, a number of Hutt clubs had existed for years, and played in the Wellington association competition. With the respective associations now running their own competitions it was natural it would result in the formation of a Hutt umpires’ association, which, just like its Wellington counterpart, had a recurring problem of recruitment. The new HVCA was affiliated to the WCA, and as a minor association it qualified to compete in the national competition for the Hawke Cup, which has long proved a strong breeding ground for first-class players. Similarly the tough two and three-day matches were excellent for the development of umpires. For Hutt umpires it was an honour to stand in them, so much so it was almost like a “first-class” appointment for them. It helped that Hutt Valley often did well in the cup, and was a winner on occasions.
The Hutt umpires produced a number of outstanding exponents, none better than Woodward, who was a canny bowler for the Taita club’s senior side before choosing to stand in the middle. He also proved an able administrator, and was forever eager to promote the cause of umpiring. He became a life member of the Hutt umpires, a status that was automatically extended to the new Wellington association after the amalgamation in 1999.
Doug Dumbleton and Haig Whiting were pillars of the Hutt and New Zealand umpiring associations for many years. The former played one first-class match for Wellington in the summer of 1947-48 as an opening bowler, and was appointed to two tests at the Basin Reserve in the 1960s. He was a leading figure in the formation of the New Zealand umpires’ association, and became its first life member. He died aged 86 in 2005.
Whiting, who played Hawke Cup matches for Wanganui and Wairarapa, was involved with the Hutt umpires for almost 40 years, and the Hutt Valley Cricket Association executive for 28, he was president and chairman of the New Zealand umpires’ association, a manager of New Zealand secondary school teams to Australia, and was made a life member of Cricket Wellington. He was 91 when he died in 2009.
Later in his career, Wellington umpire Bob Monteith joined his Hutt counterparts before ill-health resulted in him retiring prematurely. He was appointed to six test matches. The first of them was particularly memorable when New Zealand enjoyed its first test win over Australia in 1974 in Christchurch. He died in 1988 aged 51.
Others Hutt figures to shine on and off the field have included Dave Abbott, an active umpire for more than 40 years, Dave Greenfield, Reg Alexander, Lew Anderson, and E C “Pop” Calcinai. Alexander, who died in 2010, was chairman of the Hutt umpires at the time of the amalgamation, and was a past chairman of the Hutt Valley Cricket Association.
The following are lists of prominent Wellington umpiring administrators since 1904, and those Wellingtonians to have umpired tests.
President: C G Wilson, J J Gallagher, Teddy Watts, Leslie Brabin, Jock McLellan, J D Howitt, Tom Dick, M C Maris, Barney Clark, Trevor Martin, Bob Bundle, Dennis Copps, Stu Thorburn, Robert Bradley (1989-96), Stan Cowman (1996-2003), Bill Sommer (2003-).
Chairman: Dan McKenzie, William Bock, William Toomath, R F Steele, Teddy Watts, Brownie Watson, Jock McLellan, Jack Dainty, Barney Clark, Charles Williams, Tom Dick, Stu Thorburn, Barney Clark again, Bob Bundle, Stu Thorburn again, Ron Wood (1982-87), Pat Martin (1987-89), Bill Sommer (1989-90), Howard Broad (1990-92), Mike Spring (1992-97), Terry Knight (1997-2002), Dave Ellwood (2002-03), Evan Watkin (2003-2011), David Brandon (2011-).
Secretary: Godfrey Warren, Billy Hood, William Toomath, A L Holloway, L T Lambert, G Chisholm, Tom Dick, Adam Shearer, John Poulter, J J Loftus, Ron Dore, Dennis Copps, Doug Milne, Bob Monteith, Stan Cowman (1975-87), Michael Stride (1987-99), Rex Thomson (1999-2001), Brian Ashton (2001-2006), Aaron Hardie (2006-2008), Jeremy Busby (2008-09), Graeme Watson (2009-).
Treasurer: Billy Hood, William Toomath, A L Holloway, L T Lambert, G Chisholm, Tom Dick, Syd Bass, Adam Shearer, J H Poulter, J J Loftus, Ron Dore, Dennis Copps, Trevor Martin, D Howan, Monty Langley, John Cook (1978-1992), Evan Watkin (1992-2003), Craig Thompson (2003-2006), Ben Kelly (2006-07), James Ellingham (2007-08), Rob Kinsey (2008-11), Stu Bullen (2011-).
Test umpires: Steve Woodward (24 tests), Trevor Martin (15), Dennis Copps (13), Tony MacKintosh (8), Bob Monteith (6), Merv Pengelly (4), Jack Cowie (3), Jock McLellan (3), Trevor Cobcroft (3), Evan Watkin (3), Robin Currie (2), Doug Dumbleton (2), Barney Clark (2), Walter Page (1), Eric Tindill (1). MacKintosh was not a Wellington umpire at the time of his first test but he was for some later appointments.
With the assistance of Evan Watkin, the late Stan Cowman, and Mrs Pat Whiting (wife of the late Haig Whiting)
One only has to look at a history of the Cricket Wellington Umpires and Scorers’ Inc. to realise the more times change, the more they stay the same.
Since the birth of the Wellington Cricket Umpires’ Association on 11th October 1904, at the rooms of E C Batkin on Lambton Quay, there have been recurring themes, in particular the need to recruit more umpires and lift their standard of performance, to raise sufficient funds to meet their modest needs, frustration, and even bitterness, at the limited opportunities for advancement, and problems with captains’ reports on the performances of umpires, and player behaviour.
One only has to read a history of the first 80 years of the association compiled by a former president, secretary, life member, and one-day international umpire, Stan Cowman, to realise how strong the spirit and commitment was, especially when times were tough. In his annual report on the 1979-80 season chairman Stu Thorburn noted that “eight members carried the burden of active umpiring”, which makes the 22 active in the summer of 2010-11 quite an abundance by comparison.
On that October day in 1904, just eight men met under the convenership of Dan McKenzie, who was said to be the best umpire of his day, 29 years after the Wellington Cricket Association was formed in October 1875. Also present were Godfrey Warren, who became the first secretary, P Bevan, E B Vance, C E Stevens, A W Stephens, G Millward and T Barclay. They were our founding fathers. A F Wiren (noted cricket statistician and historian who contributed to the Wisden almanacs), W F Bethune and J H Reynolds sent their apologies, and were thus founders in absentia. A week after the 11th October meeting a further gathering formalised a number of things. McKenzie, Warren and A W Stephens were to draft the rules, and McKenzie, R Halley, and C E Stevens became the examination committee. Financial assistance was promised by the then Wellington Cricket Association, and the annual subscription was set at two shillings and six pence, 25 cents in today’s money, an amount that was retained for the first 20 years.
The first appointments were printed in The Evening Post newspaper on 25th October for games four days later, and the association had an immediately healthy muster with all nine matches having two umpires. Typically, play was impossible due to the weather, and the games were postponed till 5th November.
McKenzie was a man of considerable standing in the cricketing community. He was also a Wellington selector, and was a cricket writer for many years for the New Zealand Free Lance weekly. He would later be made a life member of the Wellington Cricket Association, alongside other early umpiring identities, Arthur Ashbolt, who stood in early international matches, the umpires’ first president C G Wilson, and an early chairman William Bock. Incredibly the latter celebrated his 80th birthday on 6th January 1928, when umpiring a first-class match between Wellington and Otago at the Basin Reserve! To make his birthday Bock received a “handsome cake” during the lunch break. Bock might well have been oldest New Zealander to perform at this level.
In his book 100 Summers, a history of Wellington cricket, Don Neely wrote of an unusual experience involving umpire McKenzie. New Zealand played New South Wales at the Basin Reserve on 7th and 8th March 1924, and the crowd reacted badly when McKenzie signalled the Auckland batsman Ces Dacre was run out. At the end of play, three policemen escorted McKenzie from the ground.
Remarkably, the formation of the New Zealand Cricket Umpires’ Association became a protracted affair. It was often a topic of discussion, and it seemed about to happen, when in 1946 a meeting in Wellington decided it would occur. However, it was not till a gathering in Palmerston North on 20th April 1957, that a national body became a reality.
The following year, the Wellington association’s annual meeting passed without dissent a long overdue motion to restrict the consideration of umpires for elevation to first-class status to those who had passed the association’s theoretical and practical examinations, and had subsequently served a full season as a senior club umpire. Previously accomplished players in Wellington with no qualifications might be preferred to a qualified umpire, the Wellington Cricket Association could have a strong influence in who was appointed or nominated for consideration, including at club level, and an umpire with no first-class experience might even be named to stand in a test match.
Creating a national association was expected, among other things, to result in a process that more often rewarded those with superior qualifications and experience. Changes for the better didn’t occur for some time.
Initially Wellington umpires would officiate in their street clothes before being issued with long white coats, and eventually short white coats with their traditional black trousers and white shoes. In more recent years Wellington umpires have worn attractive blue shirts, jerseys and jackets.
Jane Knewstub became Wellington’s first woman umpire in 1977, standing in several senior men’s club matches. Di Malthus joined the association in 1984, and she did numerous provincial women’s matches in addition to a one-day international. Kathy Cross became involved in the late 1990s. She was the second woman to umpire at top men’s provincial level, behind Canterbury’s Pat Carrick, and officiated in the women’s World Cups in 2000 in New Zealand and 2009 in Australia. Otherwise very few women have umpired men’s matches in Wellington.
The Wellington umpires’ association has a proud record in terms of test appointments. Fifteen of its members have stood in official test matches since New Zealand’s first against England in 1930. In the second test of that series, at the Basin Reserve, Thomas Cobcroft was the first Wellingtonian to achieve the honour, standing with Ken Cave, of Wanganui. Cobcroft, an Australian, had captained New South Wales against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1895-96, and soon after moving to New Zealand led the national team against selections from NSW and Victoria. He joined the Wellington umpires in 1924.
Steve Woodward umpired 24 tests, the greatest number by a Wellingtonian, which equalled the record among New Zealanders when he retired from international matches in 1992. He often umpired internationally alongside fellow New Zealander Fred Goodall, a West Coaster who lived for many years in Christchurch before finishing his first-class career in Wellington. They were together at Lancaster Park in Christchurch in 1980 for the second test against the West Indies when the visiting team sensationally refused to resume after tea on the third day after they disagreed with some umpiring decisions, and had to be persuaded to return, and Colin Croft barged into Goodall when running into bowl on the fourth morning. Woodward went on to umpire in two World Cups.
Other Wellingtonians to enjoy distinguished test careers were Trevor Martin and Dennis Copps. Eric Tindill earned himself a special place in New Zealand sporting history in 1959 in umpiring the first test against England at Lancaster Park. It allowed him to complete the unique record of having played test cricket and rugby for New Zealand, and to umpire and referee cricket and rugby respectively at test level. Tindill’s partner at Lancaster Park, Jack Cowie, was also from Wellington. He was an outstanding test bowler before becoming an umpire.
Increasingly it became harder for New Zealanders to umpire tests with the decision of the International Cricket Council to appoint neutral umpires. New Zealanders were forced to become fulltime and go overseas to stand in tests, and the opportunities were limited to a select few on elite panels. Evan Watkin was the last Wellingtonian to stand in a test. He did two of the Boxing Day tests at the Basin Reserve, the first involving India in 1998, and the other the West Indies the following year. In 2009 he made a third appearance. Watkin was originally named the third umpire for the second test against India at McLean Park in Napier, and stood for the last three days when Billy Doctrove, from the Caribbean island of Dominica, was unable to continue. Watkin was also an outstanding administrator. After becoming an umpire in 1982 he was a member of the Wellington umpires’ association executive committee and later board for 28 years, which included being treasurer, and for the last seven of them chairman.
Wellington and Hutt Valley had their own umpiring associations, which were involved in separately run club competitions, till they finally amalgamated at a special general meeting on 2nd December 1999, and became Cricket Wellington Umpires and Scorers’ Inc. In 1951, the Hutt association was granted affiliation to Wellington, but it went its own way again when there were complications following the establishment of the national umpires’ association. For decades a feature of the umpires’ season was the annual match between those from Wellington and the Hutt, which was always keenly contested.
Though the Hutt Valley Cricket Association was not founded till a meeting on 1st October 1928, a number of Hutt clubs had existed for years, and played in the Wellington association competition. With the respective associations now running their own competitions it was natural it would result in the formation of a Hutt umpires’ association, which, just like its Wellington counterpart, had a recurring problem of recruitment. The new HVCA was affiliated to the WCA, and as a minor association it qualified to compete in the national competition for the Hawke Cup, which has long proved a strong breeding ground for first-class players. Similarly the tough two and three-day matches were excellent for the development of umpires. For Hutt umpires it was an honour to stand in them, so much so it was almost like a “first-class” appointment for them. It helped that Hutt Valley often did well in the cup, and was a winner on occasions.
The Hutt umpires produced a number of outstanding exponents, none better than Woodward, who was a canny bowler for the Taita club’s senior side before choosing to stand in the middle. He also proved an able administrator, and was forever eager to promote the cause of umpiring. He became a life member of the Hutt umpires, a status that was automatically extended to the new Wellington association after the amalgamation in 1999.
Doug Dumbleton and Haig Whiting were pillars of the Hutt and New Zealand umpiring associations for many years. The former played one first-class match for Wellington in the summer of 1947-48 as an opening bowler, and was appointed to two tests at the Basin Reserve in the 1960s. He was a leading figure in the formation of the New Zealand umpires’ association, and became its first life member. He died aged 86 in 2005.
Whiting, who played Hawke Cup matches for Wanganui and Wairarapa, was involved with the Hutt umpires for almost 40 years, and the Hutt Valley Cricket Association executive for 28, he was president and chairman of the New Zealand umpires’ association, a manager of New Zealand secondary school teams to Australia, and was made a life member of Cricket Wellington. He was 91 when he died in 2009.
Later in his career, Wellington umpire Bob Monteith joined his Hutt counterparts before ill-health resulted in him retiring prematurely. He was appointed to six test matches. The first of them was particularly memorable when New Zealand enjoyed its first test win over Australia in 1974 in Christchurch. He died in 1988 aged 51.
Others Hutt figures to shine on and off the field have included Dave Abbott, an active umpire for more than 40 years, Dave Greenfield, Reg Alexander, Lew Anderson, and E C “Pop” Calcinai. Alexander, who died in 2010, was chairman of the Hutt umpires at the time of the amalgamation, and was a past chairman of the Hutt Valley Cricket Association.
The following are lists of prominent Wellington umpiring administrators since 1904, and those Wellingtonians to have umpired tests.
President: C G Wilson, J J Gallagher, Teddy Watts, Leslie Brabin, Jock McLellan, J D Howitt, Tom Dick, M C Maris, Barney Clark, Trevor Martin, Bob Bundle, Dennis Copps, Stu Thorburn, Robert Bradley (1989-96), Stan Cowman (1996-2003), Bill Sommer (2003-).
Chairman: Dan McKenzie, William Bock, William Toomath, R F Steele, Teddy Watts, Brownie Watson, Jock McLellan, Jack Dainty, Barney Clark, Charles Williams, Tom Dick, Stu Thorburn, Barney Clark again, Bob Bundle, Stu Thorburn again, Ron Wood (1982-87), Pat Martin (1987-89), Bill Sommer (1989-90), Howard Broad (1990-92), Mike Spring (1992-97), Terry Knight (1997-2002), Dave Ellwood (2002-03), Evan Watkin (2003-2011), David Brandon (2011-).
Secretary: Godfrey Warren, Billy Hood, William Toomath, A L Holloway, L T Lambert, G Chisholm, Tom Dick, Adam Shearer, John Poulter, J J Loftus, Ron Dore, Dennis Copps, Doug Milne, Bob Monteith, Stan Cowman (1975-87), Michael Stride (1987-99), Rex Thomson (1999-2001), Brian Ashton (2001-2006), Aaron Hardie (2006-2008), Jeremy Busby (2008-09), Graeme Watson (2009-).
Treasurer: Billy Hood, William Toomath, A L Holloway, L T Lambert, G Chisholm, Tom Dick, Syd Bass, Adam Shearer, J H Poulter, J J Loftus, Ron Dore, Dennis Copps, Trevor Martin, D Howan, Monty Langley, John Cook (1978-1992), Evan Watkin (1992-2003), Craig Thompson (2003-2006), Ben Kelly (2006-07), James Ellingham (2007-08), Rob Kinsey (2008-11), Stu Bullen (2011-).
Test umpires: Steve Woodward (24 tests), Trevor Martin (15), Dennis Copps (13), Tony MacKintosh (8), Bob Monteith (6), Merv Pengelly (4), Jack Cowie (3), Jock McLellan (3), Trevor Cobcroft (3), Evan Watkin (3), Robin Currie (2), Doug Dumbleton (2), Barney Clark (2), Walter Page (1), Eric Tindill (1). MacKintosh was not a Wellington umpire at the time of his first test but he was for some later appointments.