Hendersons rule on southern cricket pitches

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/The Press

FAMILY AFFAIR: David Henderson, left, and his father, Jim, are both cricket umpires.

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David Henderson seemed destined to follow his father, Jim, into umpiring cricket in Canterbury.

Son stood alongside father in the opening round of the premier grade two-day championship officiating in the Old Boys-Collegians v East-Shirley encounter at Elmwood Park for the past two Saturdays.

It wasn't long before Henderson junior's knowledge of the rules was tested when OBC pace bowler Logan Van Beek delivered two beam balls in the first innings and was subsequently withdrawn from the bowling crease as per the laws.

"David handled that situation correctly and did a good job the whole day as far as I could tell," Jim said.

"It's a bit of a thrill to be standing in a game alongside your son," said Jim, who has umpired at premier level for 11 seasons.

David Henderson, 27, has taken to umpiring ranks after a bad ankle injury last season prevented the pace bowler from playing second grade. The two-day game was his first premier grade appointment but he has done some Senior A Suburban fixtures.

"It's a bit earlier than I would have hoped but I've been enjoying it so far. I've come across quite a lot of the guys from my playing days. There's a bit of banter but they seem to accept me and things seem to be going alright."

Umpiring is nothing new to David Henderson's family: his grandfather, John Barnes, was a former president of the Canterbury Umpires Association while his wife's grandfather, James Harwood, filled the same position in Otago.

Henderson's twin, John, is president of the Otago and Dunedin umpire associations, a role which Jim also holds in Canterbury, presiding over the Canterbury Cricket Umpires Association and Canterbury Regional Umpires body. The brothers have also stood in matches together twice, once in each city.

Jim Henderson said immediately after giving the game away as a player he turned to umpiring.

"In fact, I was standing at the same ground the next week after I finished playing. It's the best view of the game."

Apart from being a regular at premier grade Jim Henderson has umpired to Hawke Cup districts level, controlled an Australia-Canterbury women's one-day match and was a third umpire at the last World Youth Cup in New Zealand in 2002.

David Henderson said a good umpire could go far in the game. He noted the instances of New Zealanders Billy Bowden and Tony Hill, who are on the international panels. "It's certainly something to strive for."

Jim Henderson was also a senior basketball referee in the province from 1983-91.

- © Fairfax NZ News