Tony Crafter
Encyclopedia
Anthony Ronald Crafter, (born 5 December 1940 in Mount Barker, South Australia
), 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. (The previous highest was Bob Crockett
’s 32 matches.) 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
. Crafter’s partner was fellow debutant Don Weser
.
Crafter’s last Test match was between Australia and India
at Perth
on 1 February to 5 February 1992, won by Australia by 300 runs, with David Boon
, Dean Jones
, and Tom Moody
scoring centuries, and Mike Whitney
taking 11 wickets. Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar
also scored a century. Crafter’s colleague was Terry Prue
.
Crafter also umpired 84 One Day International (ODI) matches between 1979 and 1992.
He umpired two women’s Test matches in 1979 and 1984.
He umpired 94 first-class matches in his career between 1974 and 1992, retiring after standing in the Sheffield Shield final that season.
Mount Barker, South Australia
Mount Barker is an expanding city, home to 10 258 residents that is 33 kilometres up the South Eastern Freeway, east of Adelaide, in South Australia. It is the seat of the District Council of Mount Barker, is the largest town in the Adelaide Hills, and is one of the fastest growing areas in the...
), was an Australian Test cricket match umpire.
He umpired 33 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 1992, the highest number by an Australian umpire to that time. (The previous highest was Bob Crockett
Bob Crockett
Robert Maxwell Crockett , 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...
’s 32 matches.) 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...
. Crafter’s partner was fellow debutant Don Weser
Don Weser
Donald Gordon Weser, , 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...
.
Crafter’s last Test match was between Australia and India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
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 1 February to 5 February 1992, won by Australia by 300 runs, with David Boon
David Boon
David Clarence Boon MBE , nicknamed Boony, is a former Australian cricketer whose international playing career spanned the years 1984–1995...
, Dean Jones
Dean Jones (cricketer)
Dean Mervyn Jones AM is a retired Australian cricketer, and is presently a coach. He also worked as a media commentator.-Career:...
, and Tom Moody
Tom Moody
Thomas Masson Moody is a former Australian cricketer and coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team. Today he is the coach for the IPL team Kings XI Punjab...
scoring centuries, and Mike Whitney
Mike Whitney
Michael Roy Whitney is an Australian television personality and former cricketer, who played in 12 Tests and 38 ODIs from 1981 to 1993....
taking 11 wickets. Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket...
also scored a century. Crafter’s colleague was Terry Prue
Terry Prue
Terry Arthur Prue, , was an Australian Test cricket match umpire, from Western Australia.He umpired 9 Test matches between 1988 and 1994...
.
Crafter also umpired 84 One Day International (ODI) matches between 1979 and 1992.
He umpired two women’s Test matches in 1979 and 1984.
He umpired 94 first-class matches in his career between 1974 and 1992, retiring after standing in the Sheffield Shield final that season.