Don Weser
Encyclopedia
Donald Gordon Weser, (born 8 February 1937), is a retired Australian Test cricket match umpire, from Western Australia
.
He umpired 3 Test matches
between 1979 and 1980. His first match was between Australia
and England
at Sydney
on 10 February to 14 February 1979, won by England by 9 wickets, thus retaining The Ashes
. Australian captain Graham Yallop
scored 121 of the first innings total of 198, but the rest of the batting in both innings failed against Ian Botham
, John Emburey
and Geoff Miller
. Weser's partner was fellow debutant Tony Crafter
.
Weser's last Test match was between Australia and New Zealand
at Perth
on 12 December to 14 December 1980, won by Australia by 8 wickets, with a bowling attack of Dennis Lillee
, Rodney Hogg
, Len Pascoe
, and Jim Higgs
proving too powerful. Weser's colleague was again Tony Crafter
.
Weser also umpired 8 One Day International (ODI) matches between 1979 and 1981. On February 1, 1981, during the third World Series Cup final at the MCG between Australia and New Zealand, Weser was informed by Greg Chappell that his brother Trevor would bowl the final ball underarm, thus denying New Zealand the chance to hit a six and tie the game. It was Weser's duty to inform both batsmen which he duly did. This incident, although legal at the time, is one of the great controversies of world cricket.
He umpired one women's Test match in 1984.
Altogether, he umpired 32 first-class matches in his career between 1977 and 1985.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
He umpired 3 Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
between 1979 and 1980. His first match was between Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
and England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
at Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
on 10 February to 14 February 1979, won by England by 9 wickets, thus retaining The Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
. Australian captain Graham Yallop
Graham Yallop
Graham Neil Yallop is a former cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. He captained Australia briefly during the tumultuous era of World Series Cricket in the late 1970s...
scored 121 of the first innings total of 198, but the rest of the batting in both innings failed against Ian Botham
Ian Botham
Sir Ian Terence Botham OBE is a former England Test cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator. He was a genuine all-rounder with 14 centuries and 383 wickets in Test cricket, and remains well-known by his nickname "Beefy"...
, John Emburey
John Emburey
John Ernest Emburey is a former English cricketer, who played for Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Western Province, Berkshire and England....
and Geoff Miller
Geoff Miller
Geoffrey Miller is an English former cricketer, who played in thirty four Tests and twenty five ODIs for England from 1976 to 1984...
. Weser's partner was fellow debutant Tony Crafter
Tony Crafter
Anthony Ronald Crafter, , was an Australian Test cricket match umpire.He umpired 33 Test matches between 1979 and 1992, the highest number by an Australian umpire to that time...
.
Weser's last Test match was between Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand Cricket
New Zealand Cricket, formerly the New Zealand Cricket Board, is the governing body for professional cricket in New Zealand. Cricket is the most popular and highest profile summer sport in New Zealand....
at Perth
WACA Ground
The WACA is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. WACA are the initials of its owners and operators, the Western Australian Cricket Association....
on 12 December to 14 December 1980, won by Australia by 8 wickets, with a bowling attack of Dennis Lillee
Dennis Lillee
Dennis Keith Lillee, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer rated as the "outstanding fast bowler of his generation"...
, Rodney Hogg
Rodney Hogg
Rodney Malcolm Hogg is a former Victorian, South Australian and Australian cricketer. He was a fast bowler. Hogg played in 38 Tests and 71 ODIs between 1978 and 1985. In Tests he took 123 wickets at an average of 28.47.-Career:...
, Len Pascoe
Len Pascoe
Leonard Stephen Pascoe is a former Australian Test and ODI cricketer. He attended Punchbowl Boys' High School in New South Wales....
, and Jim Higgs
Jim Higgs
James Donald Higgs is a former Australian leg spinner who played in 22 Tests from 1978 to 1981.Higgs began his district cricket career at Melbourne University, where he studied civil engineering, before transferring to Richmond. He made his début for Victoria against Western Australia...
proving too powerful. Weser's colleague was again Tony Crafter
Tony Crafter
Anthony Ronald Crafter, , was an Australian Test cricket match umpire.He umpired 33 Test matches between 1979 and 1992, the highest number by an Australian umpire to that time...
.
Weser also umpired 8 One Day International (ODI) matches between 1979 and 1981. On February 1, 1981, during the third World Series Cup final at the MCG between Australia and New Zealand, Weser was informed by Greg Chappell that his brother Trevor would bowl the final ball underarm, thus denying New Zealand the chance to hit a six and tie the game. It was Weser's duty to inform both batsmen which he duly did. This incident, although legal at the time, is one of the great controversies of world cricket.
He umpired one women's Test match in 1984.
Altogether, he umpired 32 first-class matches in his career between 1977 and 1985.