The finger of fate

As two Test umpires come under the spotlight at the Brit Oval today, with the ICC inquiry into the "Hairgate scandal", Line and Length brings a happier story about umpires. Meet the youngest man to stand in a first-class game...

THE mental pressure heaped on cricketers who shine in their teens and struggle in their twenties can be enough to make some send for the men in white coats to cart them away. For Michael Gough, however, an England A player as a 19-year-old in 1999, his collapse in form led to him throwing away his bat and donning the white coat himself. He went from being Marcus Trescothick's room-mate on tour to a first-class umpire in six and a half years.

Gough, pictured here playing for England Under-19, qualified for the ECB's reserve list of umpires three weeks before this season started and was the first umpire to give a Sri Lankan out this summer, in the game against British Universities at Fenner's. Yet at the age of 26 he was barely older than the students and younger than half the touring side. "All sports officials are getting younger," Gough said. "It is no longer for old guys in white jackets."

He is believed to be the youngest first-class umpire in the history of the game, a year younger than either David Constant, whose 38-year career ended last week, or the legendary interwar umpire, Frank Chester.

Gough knows he has a long way to go before he can emulate Chester, pictured, who stood in the first of 48 Tests when he was 29. This season, Gough has been officiating mainly in second XI matches and university games, waiting on call for the odd first-team game.

"I would love to umpire internationals one day, but I could spend four or five years waiting to make the full first-class list," Gough said. "It all depends on the reports of the captains and coaches." He was given 60 days' work this season to make a good first impression and has received favourable reports. When the ECB considers who to replace Constant on the first-class list over the winter, Gough is in with a chance of making the step up.

Yet Gough should be in the prime of his playing career. After a middling first few years for Durham, he flourished in 2002, averaging 51.33 and finishing second in the county averages. The following year his average dropped back to 24 and he decided to walk away with a year of his contract remaining. "I wasn't enjoying playing. I don't think I ever enjoyed it in six years of playing," he said. "Even when I made a big score, I'd think 'there has to be more to life that this'. I did it because I was quite good at it, but the enjoyment never improved. In the end, I just needed to get away."

Perhaps it was a case of too much, too soon. Gough was in the England Under-19 squad that won the World Cup in 1998, although he lost his place for the final to Robert Key. He captained the side that winter in New Zealand and made 116 and 69 at Wellington. In 1999 he was chosen for England A, shared a 50-run partnership with Trescothick against Bangladesh, contracted chicken pox in New Zealand and then had another happy match in Wellington, where he hit the winning runs in the "Test" series.

It was largely downhill from there, however, and despite making 62 on his first-class debut for Durham and then becoming the youngest man to make a century for them, he averaged only 25.44 by the time he departed.

"It was a mutual decision and it opened the way for someone else," he said. "I love the game, though. It's always given me a great pleasure to watch cricket and even as a player I used to think about getting involved after I retired, I just didn't think it would happen so soon."

Gough contacted the ECB, gained experience of umpiring at Stockton Cricket Club and passed the required exams. "All the other umpires welcomed me and told me to pick up the phone if I had any questions," Gough said. And the players? "Some I played against have been shocked to see me but they have been friendly and constructive. I want to develop their respect and while there will always be niggling doubts, I try not to come to a decision to give someone out unless I am 100 per cent certain."

The call to stand in a first-team county game finally came last month when he was asked to be the third umpire for the Pro40 game between Durham and Nottinghamshire - and he had to make a TV replay decision only 12 balls into the match.

"It was great to go back to my old county," Gough said. "I've really enjoyed being back on the circuit this season. It's been a steep learning curve but I've been getting good feedback and hopefully I'll make it on to the full list in time." There are seven umpires on the reserve list and only one will receive a call-up to the full list for next season, to replace Constant.

In his final entry in the Cricketers' Who's Who 2004, in the section for opinions on the game, Gough wrote "they should extend the tea interval by ten minutes". Presumably now he is having to stand still all day, it is a feeling he holds even more strongly.

Comments

[Darren Close]

I know this is a couple of years late, as I am writing in June 2008, but I know an umpire who did his first 'first-class' match at the age of 18. Me! It was in Tasmania, Australia, beginning 24th October, 1986 when Tasmania played against Victoria in the (as it was called then) Sheffield Shield. I went on to umpire 20 First Class games (including Tas vs. West Indies, Pakistan & New Zealand) as well as One day domestic including the final (Tas vs South Australia) in 1987. I went on to umpire in the U19 World Cup in Aus in early 1988 where I managed to umpire a semi final. I gave up umpiring when I reached a cross roads in my life (aged 24) and followed my theatre and travelling bug side. I had umpired in total for 12 years.

[Brian Carpenter]

A fascinating interview, Patrick. Some very interesting remarks by Gough, who was a player I kept an eye on from his under-19 days to the end of his first-class career. All suggestive of a man who really loves the game, so is it the case that if you really love the game it's hard to play it professionally? I often wonder how many pros really love the game in the way that Gough says he does - perhaps the ones who can take a more detached view of it do better?

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