Umpire Daryl Harper is an aggrieved man. Having stood in the semi-final between India and Kenya at Durban, the Australian umpire has not been allotted a ticket for the finals at Johannesburg.
Waiting in the hotel lobby of the Sandton Sun Hotel in Johannesburg for umpire David Shepherd, Harper vented his ire at the shabby treatment meted out to him.
"There has to be some sense of responsibility and gratitude towards umpires who stand under such enormous pressure. I think it is a case of poor organization by the authorities."
"Forget me, one of the five the match referees Gundappa Vishwanath has not been allotted a seat for the finals. Now someone has to explain that soon."
"After all I am just an umpire. The ICC does not employ us. We are just freelancers. Give your services, take your cash and that's that."
Harper is not alone.
Asoka D'Silva also left for Sri Lanka Saturday afternoon after he was not offered a ticket for the finals.
"I have done a good job through the tournament. Not a single decision barring the one in the opening game against Bangladesh has been doubtful. I am disappointed," he said.
According to him, some of the non-Asian umpires work around the system and avoid coming to the sub-continent. "I was forced to do most of the India series last year. I never complained."
He said it was quite embarrassing for senior umpires like David Shepherd and Steve Bucknor to carry drinks out to the field. He joked that the fourth umpires were glorified water boys.
The whispers are growing louder as discontent amongst the umpires is growing.
D'Silva said the matter would be brought up in Sharjah and something would come of it.
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