Like many cricketers, Steven Douglas’ love of the game began in childhood when he took part in neighbourhood games with his peers. He continued playing throughout his school career, and also umpired in high school.

“That gave me a better understanding of the game as I was able to read it a lot easier when I was scoring because I saw both teams operate,” he says.

In 1978, with his school days behind him, the young man joined Cleveland County, the club he has remained with throughout his life, and he represented it at both the junior and senior county levels.

“I always looked forward to playing in competitions as a youngster growing up,” Mr. Douglas says. “The Eastern Counties Cup was what most players in my community looked forward to playing, and I played until about 11 years ago.”

He remembers two highlights of his career in particular: when he scored 90 runs in 1985 in a County game; and one of his biggest scores, 118, against Devonshire Rec at their ground.

Once his playing days were over, Mr. Douglas turned his hand to assisting his club with scoring, umpiring and tea preparations, and in 1996 he decided he needed “to do something more with cricket” so he settled on umpiring because it seemed the Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association (BCUA) needed more officials. Regular studies led to him passing the local umpire’s examination, following which he went on to pass the much stiffer West Indies Cricket Umpires Association (WICUA) examination.

“That was a challenge because in Bermuda predominantly we play limited overs cricket and their test is primarily for first class games of three to four days, or what they call ‘open cricket’,” Mr. Douglas says. “Open cricket is more on law, and the cricket we play here is more on regulations, so when it comes to the test you have to remember all the laws in the book – and there are 42 of them!”

In Bermuda there is also a 43rd law.

“Dennis Raynor always talks about the common sense law,” the umpire smiles.

From time to time, the International Cricket Council, the governing body of cricket worldwide, amends or adds laws so, like other umpires, he must keep up to date as well.

“We need to keep abreast of what the rest of the world is doing in order to maintain a certain standard here,” he says.

Not only did Mr. Douglas pass his written WICUA examination, but also the requisite six games when his umpiring was scrutinised by Bermuda’s senior umpires, Randy Butler, George Francis, Wilbur Pitcher and Dennis Raynor, and his oral examination. All of which makes him a qualified WICUA umpire who can go anywhere in the world to officiate.

In terms of umpiring multiple-day games, however, while he has passed his theory tests, he must now gain practical experience umpiring such games before he can be considered a fully qualified umpire.

Meanwhile, since Bermuda is part of the Americas Region, Mr. Douglas’ resum? includes umpiring one-day games such as the final between Bermuda and Canada in Somerset last year, and others abroad.

“This year I had the honour and privilege of representing Bermuda at the Americas senior cup in Buenos Aires,” he says. “It was a great experience dealing with people speaking different languages. If they were sledging, you had to be able to pick up a few words early on and nip it in the bud before it got out of hand. The whole experience of operating with umpires from other countries was a lot of fun.

“I was privileged to do the tougher games – the ones that really mattered.”

Umpiring all of Bermuda’s knock-out finals, the Camel Cup finals, and the Combined County finals has stood him in good stead for the glare of the Cup Match spotlight, Mr. Douglas feels.

“For most umpires this is the pinnacle, and you look forward to doing the game. That’s what you sit the exams for and go in the middle every Sunday for. You strive for perfection so that you will ultimately be chosen for this game. That is not to say that I am not going to be nervous for the first few minutes, but after that I will be all right,” he assures.

Certainly, he isn’t going to be bothered by any barracking from the crowd.

“Every Sunday ‘expert’ on the bank is telling you about the laws and regulations,” the umpire admits. “They say, ‘Why don’t you call ‘wide ball?’ or “Why don’t you call ‘no ball?’ ‘What’s wrong with you – are you blind or something? Can’t you hear?’ but it doesn’t get to me. In fact, it just makes me stronger. You have to look for things on the field of play so you focus right in. It is a mental game, and a very serious job that I am doing.”

It is also physically taxing, so just as players prepare themselves so too does Mr. Douglas, who is a facilities supervisor for Telecommunications Ltd. Bermuda West Indies.

“I walk and cycle throughout the season to help strengthen my lower back, and I also take vitamins,” says the assistant secretary-treasurer of the BCUA.

Surprised and delighted at being chosen, the first-time Cup Match umpire will rise tomorrow morning as usual, don his black trousers, white shirt and tie, and long umpire’s jacket, plus a hat, and head west to do his job. His outfit will mirror that of his fellow umpire, Stephen West, whose preference is to wear a tie, and it too will have a cricket theme.

In each of their pockets will be a counter to keep track of the number of balls and overs.

Explaining that their similar dress is part of an overall picture, Mr. Douglas says: “We go out as a team. He watches out for me and I watch out for him. That is why you see us talking – we are double-checking things and supporting each other as much as we can.”

Despite the heat, Mr. Douglas will remain cool. If there is misconduct during the game he will exercise caution and invoke “Law 43”.

“You can go in too soon and make a situation worse than it really is,” he says. “On the field you have to consult your partner and inform the captain of the misconduct. The captain is responsible for the team so he would have to deal with it right there and then. If it gets out of hand, however, I will file a report, but normally if the captain deals with it you try to leave it on the field of play.”

No matter what happens, however, Mr. Douglas has an overall plan for umpiring his first Cup Match.

“I will go out there and do my best, and I will be fair and honest to everyone,” he promises.