Not them ones

Great story from John Holder in today's You Are The Umpire in the Observer. The question was the old chestnut about the bowler losing his grip on the ball and delivering a three-bounce dolly that stops just in front of the batsman. Holder gave the usual answer, and then went on:

'In the late 80s I was umpiring a match between Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire when Curtly Ambrose lost control of the ball during his delivery. It looped high in the air and dropped at forward short leg in front of batsman Derek Randall. His eyes lit up as he saw the chance of some easy runs: he teed up the ball and smashed it to midwicket for four. Turning round, he saw Ambrose towering over him with a face like thunder. Realising he would have to face a pumped up Ambrose, Randall looked to the bowler's end umpire Merv Kitchen and shouted, 'Merv, I don't want them runs - cancel them!' Of course Merv couldn't cancel the runs, but everyone fell about laughing, and Curtly, ever the professional, let Derek off with one of his normal, blisteringly fast deliveries'.

A glory era of county cricket, too...

NB: On the subject of the law, came up against an odd one in a match the other day: the batsman pulled away as the bowler ran in and gestured to the fielder at long-off that he was in his eyeline. The fielder at long-off gestured back, not unreasonably, that he was standing at least two yards away from the sightscreen. He moved, but I'm not sure that he had to. Anyone know for sure?