Taufel will be missed
Simon Taufel, who has retired as an international umpire, was so good at umpiring that he went unnoticed throughout his career, writes Osman Samiuddin in The National
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
Simon Taufel, who has retired as an international umpire, was so good at umpiring that he went unnoticed throughout his career, writes Osman Samiuddin in The National. His professionalism, which included not just making the right decisions but also sharing a level of trust with the players as an umpire, went a long way in defining him as a role model.
One thing, which became clearer over time, was how gently the weight of the position rested with him. He found just that right space between authority and friendliness and settled into it, which is the secret of all management really.
This came out best in the smile he offered the bowler after turning down an appeal; a little patronising sure with those pursed lips, but a little sympathetic too in those eyes. It was as expert and finely tuned as the steady hands that defuse bombs.