One of New Zealand’s most experienced First Class umpires has pulled stumps on his on-field days, but won’t be calling time just yet with his involvement with officiating. Dave Quested is one of only a small number of New Zealand umpires to stand in over 100 First Class games and he spoke exclusively with http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/ about life in the middle, his interesting on-field nick-name, players he’ll remember for the rest of his life and what the future holds.
Quested was born and bred in Canterbury and has spent the majority of his life involved with cricket in the region. From his playing days through to umpiring, Quested has become a stalwart among the Canterbury cricketing community.
He was a talented all-rounder before his umpiring career. He forged a name for himself as a strong medium pace bowler during his time at Linwood College under the watchful eye of coach and teacher (and now radio commentator) Peter Sharp, before heading to Hawke’s Bay and Wellington to play senior cricket.
In 1967 he was accepted into the Police force and was heavily involved with the Police and combined services cricket teams for over 15 years. That’s when his love of umpiring also started. “I was a bowler but my body didn’t handle it. So I gave up playing to take up umpiring,” he said.
He started umpiring in the early 80s at club level and remembers sitting an important exam, which didn’t have a desired outcome. “I remember sitting a Level 4 exam in the bunker at Aorangi Road, which was (former international umpire and NZC umpire manager) Brian Aldridge’s kitchen and failed! I had to re-sit it again the following year.”
When he wasn’t umpiring, he forged ahead with his career in the Police. He spent 34 years in the force and because of that the players coined him an interesting nick-name. “They used to call me Mr Plod,” he laughed. “I had a giggle about that.”
His international umpiring career spanned between 1992 and 2002. He officiated in 12 Tests (five in the middle) and 46 One-Day Internationals (31 in the middle). He’s seen some interesting players up close and said his first Test would be one of the most memorable games - New Zealand versus Sri Lanka at Carisbrook. “We (Indian Umpire V.K Ramaswamy and match ref Barry Jarman) reported Muttiah Muralitharan for suspect action,” he said. “We got the television footage and sent that off to the ICC. It was early on in his career and he has just retired from Tests at 38, with 800 wickets.”
Quested stood in games along side some of the most recognisable players of the times including Shane Warne, Steve Waugh, Glen McGrath and Martin Crowe. “He was just so good,” he said of the iconic New Zealand batsman. Australian fast bowler McGrath however will always hold a special place in the former umpire’s heart. “One of life’s gentlemen is Glen McGrath,” Quested said. “On the field he was tough, but off it he was one of life’s good guys.”
Former White Ferns captain Debbie Hockley will also be remembered fondly by Quested. “One day she was playing in a New Zealand trial out at Lincoln and she batted for a long time,” he said. “Back in those days I wore a bum bag and she gave me a serviette and said ‘Dave, can you look after my toast for me. I might need it when I’m batting’ and she had wrapped up a piece of toast in the serviette! She’s a player I admire. She’s very dedicated.”
Quested has umpired a number of international women’s games, including the 2000 World Cup final Between the White Ferns and Australia. It was the only time New Zealand won a World Cup. “That was pretty special. I have the ball from the game with the signatures of New Zealand captain Emily Drumm and Australian captain Belinda Clarke.”
You would think being in the middle, the umpires would have the best view of the game. However Quested quashed that suggestion and said as an umpire you are busy concentrating on officiating rather than “watching” a game. “I would go back and watch replays of games to look at not only my performances, but those of the players.”
Sometimes however he got too close to the action for comfort and in turn sustained a couple of injuries. He was hit on the back of the head last season by a Tim McIntosh drive at a domestic game. The other injury was beamed around the world on television. “It was an ODI in Napier. New Zealand scored bout 270/7 and we got through about seven overs of the South African innings before it started to rain. Back in those days we had reserve days, so we came back the following day. New Zealand didn’t bat very well. During the South African innings Nathan Astle was bowling to Lance Klusener who hit the ball straight back at me.
“I dropped to the ground and landed on my radio which went up under my ribs and ended up fracturing my sternum. (International umpire) Billy Bowden raced over and said ‘I’ll give you mouth to mouth!” when I was lying flat on the ground. I decided to get back up and finish the game.”
The game ended in infamy. South Africa needed four off the last ball, Dion Nash bowled a full toss and it was hit for six.
During his time as an umpire, Quested has seen the game evolve, especially in the realm of technology. He has a claim to fame when the third umpire rule was introduced. “I was the first umpire in Australasia to do the box signal for the TV umpire,” he said. “I was standing with Brian Aldridge and Dipak Patel threw in from the boundary and ran out an opener. The batsman was an inch out of the crease. Then it happed again, exactly the same in the next game.”
Quested is only one of a very small handful of New Zealand umpires to have stood in over 100 First Class matches (domestic four day and international Test matches). Others include Doug Cowie, Billy Bowden, Evan Watkin, Steve Dunne and Fred Goodall. He’s stood with the majority of the others in the exclusive group. “It’s something special to be in the same category as some of these umpires,” he said.
Special bonds are formed with other umpires while standing in the middle and Quested said he’ll miss that camaraderie and travelling around the beautiful New Zealand countryside. “I had a lot of games away from home last season and I’ll miss the travelling and the guys I’ve stood with.” His first game at First Class level was at the most southern ground (Queens Park Invercargill) and his last was at Cobham Oval in Whangarei.
He’s also travelled overseas with umpiring, to Australia, South Africa and Samoa. In 1999 he did an exchange to South Africa where he umpired two games. One of the four-day matches in Cape Town ended in the last over with a win to Western Province against KwaZulu-Natal.
The culture within umpiring has also changed during his time as an official. Umpiring is now seen as a profession or a career option and because of that there has been a shift in mind-set. “I’m finding there is more dedication and accountability which is a good thing.”
Although he will not be gracing the middle any more, he’ll still be standing on the boundary line helping develop the next generation of umpires. He’ll continue to play an active role in coaching and mentoring local umpires as well as working with New Zealand Cricket to coach and develop officials.
His advice to those wanting to get into umpiring? “The earlier you start the better. Mid 30s is a good time to start.”