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January 16, 2010

Posted by Sriram Veera on 01/16/2010

Meeting Marais Erasmus


Marais Erasmus is all geared up for his first Test © Cricinfo Ltd
 

At least four people in Cape Town will be tuning into the India-Bangladesh Test in Chittagong. A father, a wife and twin sons. Marais Erasmus is making his debut as a Test umpire tomorrow. He is chubby, friendly and slightly nervous. “Butterflies are good. I mean you should get them in your tummy, otherwise what’s the point? It is a big match for me,” he said with a laugh.

His father, who thinks his son can do no wrong, is crazy about the game and watched the first Test in Cape Town after the Second World War. Marais' wife and kids watch cricket just to see him umpire. Last month Erasmus officiated in an ODI in Rajkot which had a 5.30am start in Cape Town. “Apparently my sons got up bright and early and saw me walking out to the middle. They shouted out in joy and then went back to sleep!”

Erasmus acknowledges his experience of umpiring in the Duleep Trophy last year helped him prepare for his ODI series in India, but not for the noise levels in the stadiums. “I was, of course, told about it by the other umpires but that noise is something else. I will never forget it and you can’t prepare for something like that.”

Erasmus had more unforgettable incidents from his umpiring life to share. The funniest? “Nantie Hayward was batting in a domestic game and there were probably four or five people in the stands. One of them shouted out: ‘Nantie, if you hit a four now, I will give you 50 rands!’ His voice boomed across the empty stadium. The next ball Nantie swung to the boundary and shouted, ‘Where are those 50 rands?’"

The worst decision? He chooses one from his days umpiring for Under-13s. “He went for a sweep and it went off the toe end of the bat and I gave him plumb lbw. The square-leg umpire told me my mistake and I called the boy back. I am sure there will be many more like that in the future.”

The talk shifted to the pressures of umpiring games involving batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar. “I am aware he is a legend but you have to be truthful to your job and I won’t be letting it affect me. I also like to watch Virender Sehwag bat. He is exciting since you don’t know what he will do. The man I liked watching the most was Shane Warne and I have heard how he used to put pressure on the umpires.”

Just then, Billy Bowden, Erasmus’ umpiring partner, passed us by. Even as Erasmus laughed at the question of how he handled umpiring with a superstar like Billy, Bowden replied: “He [Erasmus] is super, I am a star, together we are the superstars.”

 
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Comments

Posted by: DR H DUBE on 01/16/2010

have watched him umpiring a couple of matches and think he can do the job well.all the best marais .il be watchng .india happens to be my favourite team.its a good start.congrats on your debut .look forward to seeing you a lot .

Posted by: Andrew on 01/17/2010

Good on you Marais, keep the new blokes coming - hopefully we can retire a few now.

Posted by: mudit on 01/17/2010

best wishes to you marais

Posted by: Rimon on 01/17/2010

Good Luck. Hope u will enjoy the game and the country as well.

Posted by: Sam on 01/17/2010

Now I see more and more debutants in the field of Umpiring......Gud News and atleast they would be conscious enough to give the best considering the recent standards of Test Umpiring......Anyway Gud Luck Erasmus......

Posted by: Naveed on 01/17/2010

Erusmus could not have the perfect debut! He has made a mistake by turning down a plumb LBW appeal of Shakib when Shakib trapped Ishant during the dying overs in the first day of Bangladesh-India test. Hopefully Marais will learn from his mistakes and deliver better umpire in his career. Good luck Marais.

Posted by: Sameer on 01/17/2010

Best of luck Marais!

Posted by: Mahmudul Hassan on 01/17/2010

Hello, Sir. Welcome in our country. You will feel its your second ciuntry. Hope You will enjoy in Bangladesh.

Posted by: Geo on 01/17/2010

Leka leka papa!!! Well done dad. I'm proud off you.

Posted by: Sai Sudharsan on 01/17/2010

All the best for your test cricket umpiring career....

Posted by: Adele on 01/17/2010

VERY PROUD of you - keep up the good work!!!
xx

Posted by: Nocturnal on 01/17/2010

It could have been perfect debut if he didn't deny Shakib-al-hasan a fifer in day one. Ishant Sharma was the lucky player. Wish Mr. Erasmus will deliver good and unbias decision throughout his int.career. Good Luck.

Posted by: Lasker on 01/17/2010

Whole day was fine, before just the close of the day Shakib's appeal to Inshant for LBW was turned down which was complete and easy plumb! It did shock me, still congrats, job well done.

Posted by: Jay on 01/17/2010

Marais, you are a solidly built man and I am sure your umpiring will be solid and reliable.

Posted by: Notout_Naveen on 01/17/2010

Bowden is a good umpire.It will be a warming debut for Erasmus alongside Mr.bowden, who certainly is a star with his unique style of umpiring:) This test is already a memorable one with Tendulkar surpassing yet another milestone by crossing 13,000 test runs.So, nice start for Mr. Erasmus. Wish you a succesful umpire career.

Posted by: Ansie & Philip on 01/17/2010

Proud of you - good luck!

Posted by: kenny flynn on 01/17/2010

ha ha, an exited little family! Good on ye Erasmus. Umpiring a test match needs a lot of support! =]

Posted by: s k das on 01/17/2010

erasmas you did a great job. but the bad thing is you did not give lbw of ishant sharma which was really lbw. the bowler was sakib al hasan and it was the last over of the day. over(62.1) it would be out if there was review system .bad luck for bangladesh.

Posted by: Elayaraja Muthuswamy on 01/17/2010

Good Luck to him. Wish him a lot of test & ODI's.

Posted by: Naren on 01/18/2010

Aha enjoy every moment (:

Posted by: bharath on 01/18/2010

Good luck.

Posted by: shawon on 01/18/2010

welcome to Bangladesh, Erasmus. Hope you'll enjoy the game and give us a pure cricket entertainment. Enjoy cricket in BD. Best luck to your new career.

Posted by: Russell Mac on 01/18/2010

Marais, congratulations on your first test appointment. I have no doubt you will have a long and successful test career. Great to catch up with you at the Newlands test. From a very proud ex-umpiring colleague.

Posted by: Vivek Narayan on 01/18/2010

Good Luck Erasmus. Good to see a new umpire. :)

Posted by: Henderson Springer on 01/18/2010

Well done my friend,i hope you go from strength to strength

Posted by: edwin on 01/19/2010

Come on Marais make us PROUD boytjie!

Posted by: Merwe on 01/20/2010

Chittagong is a long way from our epic cricket matches in the back yard at No 19 Fairway in Bellville. Well done and best of luck, Marais.

Posted by: Ian Howell on 01/23/2010

All the best for the 2nd Test Marais .Keep the SA umps flag flying high .Regards Ian .

Posted by: Peter & Carine & girls on 01/25/2010

Well Done!! Proud of you!!!

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