How One Umpire Found His Calling in Women's Cricket
A cricket-mad Australian is living in England when he swaps his batting pads for an umpire's coat - and discovers he has the best seat in the house.
For six years, Richard Harrison stands at village greens and County Championship grounds across Kent and Sussex, learning his craft one over at a time.
Then he returns to Australia, where a single decision changes everything.
Inspired by a new generation of stars - Meg Lanning, Sophie Molineux, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Smriti Mandhana - Richard joins the Victorian Premier Cricket Umpires Panel asking to stand exclusively in women's matches.
It's a request nobody has made before him.
Stumped follows his journey from Sunday village friendlies to the sharp end of the WBBL era, charting a sport in transformation through the eyes of the person whose job is to stay invisible - until a decision has to be made. Along the way, he unpacks the laws, the etiquette, and the unspoken code of umpiring, from the mysteries of Law 43, to why no one is ever really out LBW, with warmth, self-deprecation, and a genuine love of the game.
Part cricket memoir, part love letter to a sport in the middle of a revolution, Stumped will appeal to anyone who has ever debated a decision, followed a Test match through the night, or wondered what the game looks like from behind the stumps.
Don't get caught on the back foot - grab your copy of Stumped today and step onto the pitch with the man in the white coat.
Industry Reviews
â â â â â "It's the kind of book to have by your side, ready for a wet weekend, when you still need your cricket fix." - Syd Egan crickether.com
Funny and original.â â â â â
Loved this book. Made a day in lock down fly by.
Very funny and transported me to a perfect summer's day playing cricket.
No DRS required here - a perfectly delivered cricket memoir â â â â â
Whimsical musings and anecdotes from an Anglophile Australian. Evocative and poignant writing. A hugely enjoyable read - unquestionably 5 stars.
Great Book â â â â â
Great read. Couldn't put it down.