David Henderson: Canterbury Cricket Umpire on his 200th club cricket game, his role as Chairman of the Umpires Association

Local cricket umpire David Henderson stands in his 200th club cricket game in Christchurch this weekend. 

Henderson, who followed his father into the umpiring role, not only stands out in the middle, but he's also responsible for the recruitment and training of umpires across the Canterbury Cricket region. 

Henderson spoke with Lesley Murdoch ahead of the milestone and about his role as Chairman of the Umpires Association. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
How you going.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Look, I'm really good, but what a mess of congratulations
to you your two hundredth match in Premiere Cricket. Are
you going to be officiating in the two day match
between Sydnham and Lancaster Park at Sydenham?

Speaker 3 (00:13):
But that is a phenomenal result for you.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
It's a bit of surprised. It can't say quickly, but yeah,
it's sort of there's a lot of time in the middle.

Speaker 3 (00:23):
So how did you get into it?

Speaker 1 (00:24):
The family thing? My dad Jamnison, he was umpiring and
I got I was playing and got injured and then
he said I'd come umpire and I said, oh, I
don't know, but I did on Saturday and it was
a tener. I loved it. It's like the best scene
in the house of the cricket and gets some good
players over the year. And I've definitely umpire a higher
level than I ever played, So it's probably go indication

(00:44):
of where I was the player.

Speaker 2 (00:47):
The tenor of the conversations that you have out in
the middle, I mean they're pretty good generally, aren't they.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
In Premier Cricket?

Speaker 1 (00:54):
Oh yeah, there's obviously at a competitive game for you.
Obviously get a bit of tenth sometimes but on the
whole pretty go over my tenure, I haven't really had
too many.

Speaker 3 (01:01):
Issues as it sees a lot for you as a person.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
If it's the case, pretty prett easy going, some pretty
easy to get along probably helps as well've been situation
down with my easy own personality probably helps us.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Well.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
Did you tell us when you started?

Speaker 1 (01:17):
First game was two thousand and nine? Yeah, elm would
I believe Actually with my father it was a bit
of a story made the packers obviously pardons and I'm
quiring premier for it was a big moment and happened else.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
Oh wow.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, Because not only are you officiating out in the middle,
you are the current president and Umpire development officer as well.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
It's I've sort of been president likely for the last
four years and obviously for the last four which is
broad and challenges at the same time, it's good like
you get to teach them. I've becoming umpires. The way
is then iously been with the school kids as other people,
so they hair Umpire when they're obviously going. They start
doing themselves in the field, which challenging when you're buying

(02:07):
your own games. So give them by the the basics
which helps them sort of put my knowledge when they're
doing it, but they're not successful for them and players
as well.

Speaker 3 (02:15):
How many sessions do you reckon you've delivered, that's a
good question.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
Probably be close to fifty. I will probably imagine over
the over the years of like umpires doing exams that
we do, and then I've got done the school sessions
of Boys High and Cross College and some beads with
a player umpire course that we did the last couple
of years, probably in eight and both of them. So

(02:38):
you're looking, you're probably over fifty over many different forums
of umpire training and development. So yeah, at least fifty,
probably more, but I'll say fifty. Yes, it's a nice
friend figure and.

Speaker 3 (02:52):
This is all unpaid. This is as a volunteer, right, Yeah.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Essentially I want to pay. You get a little bit,
but it's getting not my day job.

Speaker 3 (03:01):
So yeah, but the picture money.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
To some of those sessions we had, it's pretty when
you're out of the front, you know, hitting many people
were here, so yeah, it's good for them so hopefully,
but potentially they can become umpires after when it's playing,
so they get annoyed and think it really it's not
so so challenging. We're not so, we're not so. I
guess back in the day there's always the old people

(03:26):
with the umpires and they've seen as a bit of
a banandos of young people coming through, which is good young.

Speaker 3 (03:30):
Ay, that's what you need.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
You mentioned that you've met and seen a lot of
cricketers come through in some colorful moments.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
I'll probably probably seeing a hetrick from the first time.
I sn't get one of those earlier games when we're
still the school he came played. And obviously watching players
develop what you umpire them and then they go on
to the place can in your like I say, come
back to them and because of them and all those

(03:59):
guys sort of island have come to the rinks and
also the by matcha as well as start a clock
re getting you soon and development to potential closures out Now,
that's pretty conxperience.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
It sounds so you're out in the middle.

Speaker 1 (04:13):
Yes, but brazy side.

Speaker 3 (04:14):
I'm sure it's all good. Yeah, Oh fantastic.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
Oh look, we just want to wish you for the
two hundred A memorable day. Cricket will be the winner
in the end because it has official umpires and we know,
oh we know how important they are for the game
to flourish and continue. So gosh on behalf of everybody.
David Henderson, thank you so much and long may your
career continue.

Speaker 1 (04:39):
Good thanks so much. Halfway the four hundred.

Speaker 3 (04:43):
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Speaker 2 (04:47):
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