Rising cricket umpire Derek Walker is one busy man.
He's only just arrived back in his hometown of Oamaru after spending the last 12 days in the North Island umpiring a women's international and three domestic Twenty20 matches.
Today, he will be in Dunedin for the Otago Volts Twenty20 fixture against Auckland, before heading away to South Africa next week for three weeks on an umpiring exchange.
Walker, who is one of only eight fulltime first-class umpires in New Zealand, said it was a hectic lifestyle, but at the same time very exciting and enjoyable.
"You spend a lot of time in aircraft and living in hotels. I've got to do four games in Whangarei this summer - you couldn't get further away in New Zealand from Oamaru" The opportunity to officiate in South Africa has come about through an exchange agreement between New Zealand and South Africa Cricket. Walker will stand in two first-class games and two one-day matches in Johannesburg and Paarl, and believed it would be a fantastic chance to umpire in another country and experience a different environment.The 49-year-old has been on New Zealand Cricket's first-class umpiring panel for the last three years after deciding to take up umpiring back in 2000 following a conversation with New Zealand umpiring manager Brian Aldridge.
Before that, he was a handy number five batsman for Otago in the 1980s after transforming himself from a medium-pacer at the start of his first-class career. He played six seasons of county cricket with Worcestershire in England, alongside some of the game's top names like Graeme Hick, Tom Moody and Sir Ian Botham.
Walker joins an expanding list of players who are starting to don the white umpiring coat at the conclusion of their playing careers. Former Australian fast bowler Paul Reiffel is probably the best recent example after being added to the ICC international panel of umpires in October.
He says the growth of retired cricketers into the umpiring ranks could only be good for the sport.
"There is definitely a pathway now for ex-first-class players. It's lucrative if you manage to get through the system"
Walker believed the most important quality in an umpire was the ability to maintain focus.
"You've got to have a thick-skin. You've got to have that concentration too soon as you start to think the game is going easily, something will suddenly come out that could be controversial."
So how does he cope when a big, mean fast bowler or disgruntled batsman gives him a bit of lip or a nasty stare about a wrong decision? "I think that's been toned down a lot since my day with the code of conduct. The game has been cleaned up a lot. Players are full-time now and they like to take a professional attitude out onto the field.""It has a bit to do with man management too. If something boils up, you've got to nip it in the bud."
During the recent West Indies- New Zealand test series, Kiwi fans got their first glimpse of the much-talked-about referral system - which allows players to appeal against decisions made by the on-field umpires. Walker says he is still not completely sold one way or the other just yet.
"It's still in its infancy. From the umpires I've spoken to, they'd rather have the control than the players asking referrals."
"It's got to be good for the game if the decisions are correct, though. If you get one wrong it can be very difficult to get through the rest of the day."
Walker is not only a full-time member of New Zealand Cricket's first-class panel, but also North Otago Cricket's development officer. He has been integral in getting English cricket coaches James Cutt and Simon Butler to the region and was delighted with the contribution they had made so far.
"They've been tremendous acquisitions for North Otago. It's just a pity James Cutt had to go back early because he got a job."
Butler has also been acting as a player-coach for St Kevin's this season and Walker hoped both St Kevin's and Waitaki Boys' would have someone to mentor them next year.
"We've already had discussions with both schools. It's something we'd like to pursue and see happen."Once Walker gets back from his three-week exchange to South Africa, he will be back into domestic commitments again, umpiring four-day State Championship matches. He has been fourth umpire for a couple of international matches before, and was confident of receiving a call-up for the same role during India's imminent tour of New Zealand.
Walker says his long-term ambition was to progress from the first-class umpiring scene to the ICC's international panel of umpires.
"I'd love to have a go at it. To do that, it's important to get good reports back from the first-class games you do in New Zealand and abroad
"This is my third season on the first-class panel and there are only eight of us. Four of us get international opportunities, so it's about keeping in that top echelon."
Walker says it can be a little stressful at times having to make the tough decisions out in the middle - without the benefit of an instant replay - but he wouldn't swap his occupation for any other in the world.
"I've got the best seat in the house. It's a job I love and it sure beats an office job."-Brendon Egan