Being a first-class cricket umpire can be a mentally draining job. Clifford Isaacs spoke to Michael Brown about this line of work… and how it can push one’s resolve to the boundary.
Clifford Isaacs points his index finger to the sky while officiating an encounter between the Knights and the Cape Cobras in Bloemfontein. PHOTO: Supplied by Clifford Isaacs/Clement Saptoe and PJ Gal Szabo. Compiled by Michael Brown.
There was no doubt that the pressure was mounting. The Lions could almost taste victory, but their progress towards it was slowing at an alarming rate. As the clouds threatened to draw in and hang over the stadium in Potchefstroom, the possibility that rain would kill the Lions’ hopes was growing. Time was now making its presence known.
The Gauteng side needed one more wicket to crown themselves, not only the winners of the game, but champions of the 2018-2019 CSA-4-Day Franchise series. Roughly 450 kilometres away, in Pietermaritzburg, the pressure could be felt too. The Cape Cobras had eagerly anticipated the result of the match in Potchefstroom. If the Lions failed to meet their objective, then the Cape Cobras would emerge as winners of the competition.
Just like in any cricket match, it took one moment. The Lions’ bowler Wihan Lubbe put in a fast-paced delivery that bundled under the stumps of the Warrior batsman Sithembile Langa. For that split second, the eyes in the stadium turned to one man standing in the middle of the pitch. That man was Clifford Isaacs.
At that moment, he knew. He knew that his next decision had implications of substantial magnitude. He knew that if he sent Langa back to the stands, the R2 million prize pot would go towards the players in front of him, and not the players representing his home city. But Isaacs knew what was right, and in the end he made the correct call that crowned the Lions as winners.
In the seconds that followed, the pressure around the country was either replaced with euphoria or disappointment. Isaacs felt a tinge of relief after the intensity of the match.
“That was probably the most pressurised match that I’ve ever stood in and umpired,” says Isaacs.
The superhero nobody knows
Those experiences are plentiful. Isaacs has been a first-class cricket umpire for the past 13 years and has been part of the Western Province Umpires Association since 1994. He works what is often considered a “thankless job”. A job where your strongest work goes unnoticed, yet every wrong call is scrutinised by the supporters.
“They tell you: ‘Oh, we didn’t even know the umpires were present.’ Then you know you had a good game,” said Isaacs as he reclined into his office chair on a Monday afternoon in Cape Town. “So that’s why umpires shouldn’t make their presence known. You make those silent decisions.”
Clifford Isaacs watches on as Basheeru-Deen Walters bowels for the Warriors. PHOTO: Supplied by Clifford Isaacs/Philip Vosloo
What the supporters don’t see, however, is the support system Cricket South Africa provides for umpires like Isaacs to be able to do their job efficiently and give them recognition for their work.
“During the debriefing sessions, you get your feedback from your match referee. Every match. Both captains need to fully report on the umpires. It’s a good gauge in terms of how the game went. So the majority of my reports were actually good reports and excellent. I think that’s why I’m still on the CSA as a first-class panel,” he mentions with a subtle grin.
Overcoming personal challenges
Maintaining these standards is a challenge within itself. To do their job, an umpire has to be at the top of not only their physical, but his or her mental state too. And as people, it is a feat that is easier said than done. With almost certainty, something will happen which will test the umpire’s mental state on the field. For Isaacs that something happened three years ago.
“I had a unique situation,” started Isaacs. “We had a challenge in our family. My wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2013. Four years later, on the 31st of December 2017 she actually lost the earthly battle against cancer and she passed on.”
“I have two daughters. So it was a decision for me to take. Should I leave my cricket and focus on my two daughters? That’s the year when my youngest one was doing matric. The eldest one just graduated during that year as well.”
For Isaacs this was a personal challenge. He wanted to carry on with his job, but was aware of the implications of his wife’s death on his mental state. In the end, he made use of the support structure provided by Cricket South Africa and discussed his situation with them. The result from that talk was empathetic and constructive. Isaacs was comfortable to carry on with his job.
Clifford Isaacs gives Proteas’ all-rounder Albie Morkel a chance to select the match ball for the upcoming T20 match. PHOTO: Supplied by Clifford Isaacs/Jurie Sadler.
“What I’m trying to say is it doesn’t mean that the world must now stand still because you’ve lost a family member. And it’s not that you’re not sensitive, but it’s how you deal with these things. And I thank the Lord every day for my two daughters for making my job a bit easier.”
On to the next ball…
Mental toughness is also demanded in other areas of the job because umpires are human. Mistakes are inevitable, and recovery from those mistakes are essential to provide an objectively officiated game. One particular incorrect decision stands out for Isaacs.
“I made an incorrect decision. It was also a 4-day franchise match, in Bloemfontein, the Cobras versus the Knights. I have given the Cobra’s batsman out, caught behind. But it was actually off of the thigh pad. I could just feel that, by the body language of the batsman, this was an incorrect call.”
Some may suggest that a thick skin comes with experience, but regardless, all umpires have to deal with moments like these in their own unique ways. For Isaacs, that comes through his own mantra.
“You need to continuously remind yourself the most important ball in any match is the next ball,” emphasised Isaacs.
From the Momentum Cup to T20 action, Clifford Isaacs maintains focus as Aiden Markram bowels for the Titans. PHOTO:Supplied by Clifford Isaacs/Lubabalo Gcuma.
“So, here’s where the mental toughness comes in. Are you going to allow the decision now to influence the rest of the match? Or are you going to correct your decision by making another incorrect one? But that is definitely not the way to go, because you must really try to be fair.”
It’s a refrain that Isaacs also uses to help him stay focused during the match. Often matches can reach a lull when fast-paced action is hard to come by. It is during these moments when Isaacs must be most attentive.
“Sometimes if there’s nothing happening in the match, then it’s a bit of a challenge to stay focused, to be honest with you,” admitted Isaacs.
In order to prevail in these situations, an umpire should rely on the mental resolve inside of them. For Isaacs, it is another instance where he relies on his personal philosophy.
“You need to continuously tell yourself ‘the next ball’ and remind yourself the most important ball in any match is the next ball. And it will help you stay focused for the next one… for the next one… until the end of the day’s play,” Isaacs reiterated.
Preparation is key
The pre-match routines of players who focus themselves for a significant match are well documented. And for umpires like Isaacs, preparation for matchday extends far before the day of play.
“We travel a lot, we travel a day before the match to give the umpires a chance for some time just to go to the venue and do a proper venue inspection.”
A venue inspection is a critical part of Isaacs’ job. Just as a player would prepare for a big game by practicing in the nets, an umpire needs to ensure that the playing conditions are satisfactory for when the big day arrives. Ultimately, it is an expectation rather than a desire that every match runs like clockwork.
He’s out! Clifford Isaacs conducts a pre-match routine inspection before the Proteas’ women’s team took on England in Potchefstroom. PHOTO: Supplied by Clifford Isaacs/ Devdas Govindjee.
“You have to check certain things about the venue, like the site screens, instead of checking it on the day of play,” said Isaacs.
Isaacs explained that if the site screen fails on the day of play, then there is not much an umpire can do to resolve the matter. Therefore, everyone’s day and preparation for the match could come to a halt.
Once the day has ended, he likes to rest before matchday. This is to ensure he is fully focused for whatever lies ahead of him the next day.
“The night before I just try to relax as much as possible. I don’t do anything out of the ordinary. I don’t take anything on that is heavy, or even phone calls, once we get to the ground.”
Being an umpire is not an easy task. Often Isaacs’ weekends are consumed by days standing in the sun at extreme temperatures. Sunblock often drips down his face and he can feel the weight of his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. These are just some of the factors he combats, while he attempts to maintain focus on the match. Yet, for Isaacs it all adds to the experience. Cricket is not a chore. His job became his hobby.
“For me, cricket… it’s an effortless thing… It’s nothing really that I have to prepare for,” says Isaacs.
One cannot be blamed for forgetting the neutral man standing in the middle of the pitch, as we entrench our support for either team. It becomes even harder to remember their human existence, and how it could change the nature of one cricket game. But these officials do their best to combat the challenges in front of them through their dedication and love for cricket. There is no doubt that Clifford Isaacs has this in abundance.
*Please note: This interview was conducted before the nationwide lockdown regulations were implemented.