Oamaru

THe first day at Oamaru was good and the second better, so all in all it was a pleasing tournament to be involved in. I umpired North Otago on both days, so kind of got to see them too much, but I also umpired Southland and Otago Country. Southland, on the first day, had a great fast bowler and he had North Otago hopping around the crease. Southland put up a pretty good score in merely 37 overs, hitting quite hard and perhaps batting recklessly, and then North Otago tried to last out but didn't. I had a fairly easy game with no particular problems though I had to keep thinking of the intervals, as the game was time rather than overs, which is what we play all the time in Dunedin.

At the end of the day I went to the motel with my fellow umpire from Dunedin and we checked into our rooms, which were pretty nice. Then we went out for a pizza in town, and had a beer each.
I slept pretty well but woke up early and read. I was umpring with D.W., who is one of NZ's best umpires on the top panel and so it was a bit scary that I would have to umpire with him, but it worked out well. In about the 4th or 5th over a ball went down the leg side, the batsman touched it, and it was caught by the wicket-keeper. I gave it out on appeal and DW said "good work, he did touch that". So I relaxed, knowing that my first major decision was correct and approved.

The rest of the day was fine, though I forgot about the tea interval and did not call it on time. Still a satisfactory end to three days of cricket umpiring.

Another goal completed; umpiring outside Dunedin.