Wipe international cricket umpire off the list of the world’s most desired jobs.

At first glance, a life officiating the best players in the game, at the best venues at the game (although a trip to Pakistan probably wouldn’t be a priority), and receiving a six-figure sum for your trouble, looks like a life many cricket followers would love.

The past five days at the SCG shows why it’s best avoided, unless you love being the centre of attention and the centre of criticism.

Hello Billy Bowden.

No game I can think of has officials under as much pressure as cricket does.

The way Test cricket meanders on, with time to fill after every delivery and every over, means every important decision comes under incredible focus.

The television broadcasters introduce new technology every year – not all of it has been proven to be 100% failsafe – and, Channel Nine in particular, loves to check on almost every important decision with replay after replay, and by using their toys – the hot spot, snicko and hawkeye – ad nauseum.

The umpires, who stand out there for up to five days straight, get just one look – unless it’s a decision they can refer to the third umpire.

I believe in the saying “what goes around, comes around”.

India definitely was on the wrong end of the dubious decisions in the SCG Test, but who’s to say what has gone in Tests before and what will happen in Tests to come.

Bad decisions have a way of evening out. Just ask Ricky Ponting.

There is no clear bias against the Indians, just as there is no clear favouritism towards the Australians.

Still, umpiring standards are a subject that the ICC must continue to look at improving, but it’s difficult to have any faith in world cricket’s governing body and its CEO Malcolm Speed.

Here is a man who presided over the worst World Cup ever and, for a long time, refused to admit it had any negative issues.

The ICC, and Speed, appear to adopt the philosophy of not doing much at all and letting the game roll along as is.

He was asked on ABC Radio during the SCG Test a question along the lines of “what can be done about the slow over rates?”

Speed’s response was to put the onus on the captains, saying it was up to them to speed up how many balls were bowled in each hour of Test cricket.

Surely, a stronger response is needed, especially in an era where 12 overs an hour is happening more often than ever, reducing the long version of the game’s entertainment value and ensuring stumps almost never comes at its scheduled time.

Suggesting it was up to the captains to fix over rates is like putting schoolkids in charge of the tuckshop.

They will do whatever suits them, not the game.