Role of match referee: setting up boundaries for discipline
View(s):
For instance, Mahanama did not think twice when he decided to walk out of his international career, when he knew of nothing else. At that crucial moment, he opted to remain true to his conscience and live by his ethics. Then, when it mattered again, while operating as one of the most sought-after ICC Match Referees (MR), Roshan Mahanama yet again opted to live by what he felt right — his conscience.
He said cricket made him what he is and is very passionate of the game, yet, he opts to stay out of the spotlight, because that gives him the opportunity to circumvent other complications.
It is in this background that the Sunday Musings got the opportunity of asking him of his opinion about the intricacies of the job of an elite match referee. Mahanama explained, “Most people may not know the role of the ICC match referee. I am trying to explain this to you as a former ICC match referee and a present freelance match referee. Like the umpire who stands in the middle is taken to task very often, even match referees also face similar situations and are criticised.
“The match referee, in a nutshell, is the conduit between the staging associations — be it local or home Board or, the ICC, and is the highest authority in a game of cricket, but will not interfere with the traditional role of the umpire. Apart from one or two areas on the laws of cricket, he has no status in that. It is quite clear with most match referees that they do not step into what umpires do, but they do guide them when necessary. Amongst many things a match referee would coordinate before the start of a series or, before the start of a tournament, he would have his own PCT (Player Control Team discussion) to decide on the way forward in a tournament, explain the guidelines set in place, and say, “In the middle you are in charge, but it is the match referee who is in overall charge of the game.” If there is a problem, the umpires would always seek our advice as to what actions should be taken. I remember around 2004, when I first joined the ICC, leave alone the players, even the match referees were not open. But, the situation eased gradually. They realised they were there to relieve some pressure off the players.”
Mahanama explained that the match referee’s job is not to find fault with the players. Their job is to assist the players in any way they could and work together as a team. The only instance they sat on the opposite side of the table is, when they had to conduct a ‘Code of Conduct’ hearing or, when they have to do a report on the umpires, and that too, has to be an objective report, in the best interest of the game and the umpire.
He added, “Player behaviour comes under the purview of the match referee and the umpires, but people should keep in mind, and people have asked this question a number of times: ‘Why so-and-so was not punished?’ People do not understand that, as a match referee, you can only take action if people are eligible to report, lodge a complaint.”
Mahanama then dwelled upon some integral matters pertaining to the subject of our topic. He said he is rather bewildered when a person connected to the game asks him, “Why so-and-so was not punished?” He asks what is the ICC? ICC is an entity comprising cricketers who keep working for sustenance and the development of the game. He said, globally, the game is taking a beating! “In the last three to six months in cricket, the focus has not been on cricket itself. The main focal points were some other matters. There were about five or six incidents — things we should not be talking about.
“They should be talking about batsmen making runs, someone making a brilliant hundred or, someone running through side by taking six wickets or, someone being brilliant on the field. But, this is not what we are hearing. We hear mainly things off the field.”
“We have been hearing of things that come under the purview of the ICC Anti-corruption Unit. We are hearing things of players having a go at each other, on the staircase or in the dressing room or, while returning to the pavilion. We are hearing of physical contact. Cricket is a non-contact sport. Physical contact should remain in other sports- they should play rugby, not cricket. Cricket should remain a non-contact sport.”
“Then, teams come and go, and when they have a bad decision, they end up breaking dressing room windows. It is a sacred place. Are we going to allow people to do that, at the same time there are people who behave poorly on the field of play. Yes, you may turn around and ask what the match officials were doing. Why only blame the match officials? I saw some of the past cricketers — legends — saying, the authorities or match officials should be firm or, the ICC should take steps to avoid the recurrence of such instances.”
“Yet, I would prefer, recently a former legend in cricket owned up to defacing the cricket ball during his time. Likewise, I would prefer if they come out and say all this started during our time, but it has gone too far now.”
“Then, another legend from Australia says, “We are used to testing the mental ability of the opposing players.” Playing a Test match is anyway testing a player’s mental ability, the law does not mention that the opposition tests the others’ mental ability. Then, another former Australian great is of the opinion, ‘You need to respect our team culture. Then they all should learn to respect all dressing room cultures.’”
Mahanama said he believed that the cause for this anomaly wasthe commercialisation of the game. In the past, it was just a game. He said right now, he saw players, coaches, teams and authorities of different Boards going to any level to see their team win. But, are we doing the right thing by the game? No.
He said, “Hats off to Australia by creating that precedence. They have banned erring players. Some may not agree with that but, what they have done is that they have proved the game is bigger than the individuals. I am of the view that all Boards should act in the same way. If I had a say in cricket here in Sri Lanka, I would have initiated to ensure that we take the responsibility in certain incidents. Yet again, why blame the ICC — who is the ICC? They consist of the member countries’ boards, and they are the ones who set the guidelines.” He said it would be great if the home Boards also begin to take note of breakdown of decorum.
At the same time, Mahanama also said that respective Boards also must unite and take a decision to be firm with those who cross the line of fair play. Then, if all — Boards and authorities — begin to act on discipline collectively, cricket would be a better place to be in.