Bob Crockett

Robert Maxwell Crockett (1863 in Hepburn, Victoria – 11 December 1935, at Footscray, Victoria), was an Australian Test match umpire.

Crockett umpired a total of 32 Test matches, the highest number by an Australian umpire until passed by Tony Crafter in his last match in 1992. His first match was between Australia and England at Sydney on 12 December to 16 December 1901, a match which England won by an innings.. His colleague was Richard Callaway, also standing in his first Test match.

Crockett was inspired to take up cricket umpiring at the age of 25 by the brave deeds of ‘Dimboola Jim’ Phillips who waged war on the chuckers of the 1890s, bowlers who threw the ball instead of bowling it. For more than 20 years he was a regular Test umpire, and his first-class career lasted for 38 years. Known as the ‘Chief Justice’ he was, in Pollard’s view, “a softly-spoken, imperturbable character … precise, unemotional, lacking in sentiment … He was a stickler for decorum … [and] highly regarded by all players for his accuracy and impartiality.” Johnnie Moyes, who knew him well "appreciated his skill, his modesty, his love for cricket" and ranked him in the top three umpires he had seen, along with George Hele and Mel McInnes.

In 1900/01 in the match between New South Wales and Victoria at Sydney, Crockett no-balled the New South Wales fast bowler Jack Marsh 19 times for throwing. Spectators jeered Crockett after every occurrence, but he persisted until Marsh was taken off.

In the first Test match of the 1903/04 season, Australia was recovering from a first-innings deficit of 292 and was 2 for 191 when Clem Hill on 51 attempted a fifth run from an overthrow. In a close situation, Crockett gave him run out. Hill was adamant that he had made good his ground, and as he walked off the crowd began to chant “Crock, Crock, Crock”. The English captain, Pelham Warner, threatened to take his players off unless the commotion stopped. The Australian captain, Monty Noble, who was next man in, apologised to Warner and insisted that play continue. As a consequence of this incident there was a call for tighter control of crowds at matches.

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