Umpire Gosine goes (29 August 1999)

29 August 1999

Umpire Gosine goes

Garth Wattley

In his time in the middle, he signalled the end to many an innings. Now his is over.

At 9.45p.m. on Friday, former West Indies Test umpire Ralph Gosine died at the St Clair Medical Complex of renal failure.

Gosine, 68, was hospitalised on Monday night, complaining of pain in his legs. However, on Thursday, he underwent heart surgery to unclog blocked arteries.

According to his son Godfrey Gosine, that surgery was successful, but the former umpire succumbed to kidney problems the following evening.

Gosine leaves behind wife Rita, sons Jeffrey, Godfrey and Ricardo, daughter Ingrid and four grandchildren.

Left behind too, are former colleagues who yesterday recalled his significant contribution to the game both locally and in the region.

"He in my view was the best umpire the country has produced," said Alloy Lequay president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board.

"I recall his courage and ability to stand up against the pressure."

Gosine, the first East Indian to umpire in a Test match in the West Indies, stood in 25 matches between 1965 and 1979. In many of them, he partnered the highly respected Jamaican Douglas Sang Hue.

Gosine will especially be remembered for one decision taken during the ill-fated 1978 series against Bobby Simpson's Packerless Australians.

In the final Test at Sabina Park, Jamaica, he refused to allow additional time in a disrupted game with six overs left in the match and the last WI pair at the wicket.

Gosine and Sang Hue were also in the centre of crowd controversies in the 1979 Caribbean Packer series when they refused to start play in matches in Barbados and Guyana because of unsuitable conditions.

Off the field, Gosine held several positions on umpires' bodies. He was president of the Trinidad and Tobago Umpires Council for 12 years.

And according to Anthony Lalacksingh, chairman of the North Zone Cricket Umpires Association, Gosine's passing is "a great blow for cricket and cricket umpiring, not only in Trinidad and Tobago and also in the outside world."

Lalacksingh added, "The knowledge that he could impart to others will be greatly missed. His manner of fairness and his pleasant disposition is something to be admired and which young umpires should try to emulate him."

Funeral services for Gosine will be conducted at the St Agnes Anglican Church from 3pm tomorrow. Burial will take place at the Mucurapo Cemetary.

Ralph Gosine factfile
Born July 27, 1931, St James
Founder of Upsetters club
1954: Became member of Umpires Association
1965: Stood in first Test-West Indies v Australia, Queen's park Oval
Tests: 25
Shell Shield matches: 50
1979: Stood in all five unofficial Packer Tests, WI v Australia.
Offices held: Former president of T&T Umpires Council; Executive
vice-president WI Umpires Association; Executive member, North Zone Cricket Umpires Association
1988: Awarded Humming Bird Medal Gold for contribution to sport.

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)