SLC takes steps to improve umpiring in domestic cricket

Monday, 2 June 2025 01:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lankan umpires

Standards have deteriorated says Umpires Committee Chairman

Samantha Dodanwela in his new role as Umpires Committee Chairman

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Cricket umpiring in Sri Lanka’s domestic cricket has dropped drastically, is the view expressed by new Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Umpires Committee Chairman Samantha Dodanwela, who has taken over the role after being Chairman of the Tournament Committee for several years.

Dodanwela is of the view that more weightage given to written exams than practical on-field decisions is one of the causes and, after holding discussions with the umpires, has decided to make a few changes to the system in order to uplift the standard of umpiring.

“There’s no doubt the quality of umpiring has come down. We are having a lot of seminars and conducting a lot of exams. There is an exam that umpires have to complete every two years for promotions and relegations. All these years, the weightage was given to written exams rather than practical. The ratings were very high. I’ve changed everything,” said Dodanwela.

“What I said was that even a clerk in my office can read a book and go and write and pass the exam – what matters is how you take decisions on-field in the centre. I have given more weightage to them and the match referees report. For the written exam, I am giving only about 20-25% whereas for on-field, I am giving more, (about) 40-45%, and then the match referees report.”

“You have to know the rules and regulations but how you implement it in the middle is what matters. What matters at the end of the day is to give the correct decision.”

Dodanwela said that the Committee was encouraging more first-class cricketers to come into umpiring.

“For the last 15 years, we haven’t seen a single first-class cricketer coming into umpiring. We have to actually analyse and see the reason why; it has to be lucrative and attractive for someone to take to umpiring. We have a fast-tracking system where a first-class cricketer will come straight into Level 3 and, within two years if he does well, we start promoting him. That’s how umpires like Kumar Dharmasena and others came through. Otherwise, you have to come through Levels 5 and 4. If you start from the low level it will take about 20 years for a person to reach the top.”

During the SLC Major 4-Day final between Bloomfield and NCC, there were several glaring umpiring errors which went against the losing side. Several were of the view if the match was telecast live, whether such decisions would have taken place.

Dodanwela said that he had a good discussion with the umpires. “They were saying they didn’t have the opportunity of speaking to the Umpires Committee for several years and they were appreciative when I addressed them. I asked their grievances and they explained why. I asked them why at the international level, they umpire well, but there are several complaints about them when it comes to domestic matches, which means they are not focused.”

“If we had the DRS (Decision Review System) all these umpires would be more focused – they cannot make a mistake and get away – but it is a costly affair,” said Dodanwela, who will be leaving for the UK on 10 June to attend an International Cricket Council (ICC) Match Referees and Umpires meeting.

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