There is little doubt that the spotlight won't only be on the players when Australia and India start the third Test in Perth next Wednesday.

In these days of super slo-mo, snickometers and constant TV replays, there will also be enormous pressure on umpires Asad Rauf and Billy Bowden.

Former Queensbury Cricket Club secretary Dave Ryan can't speak for Bowden and his arthritic finger but he is certain that former Queensbury player Rauf will be able to cope with the potential powder-keg atmosphere.

Ryan said: "I have watched Asad's progress as an umpire, he is doing well overall and am convinced that he is going right to the top.

"Our former Queensbury team-mate Terry McGuire spoke to him recently and Asad is really enjoying his umpiring.

"But he was also a superstar batsman and a cracking lad when he played for us in the Bradford League.

"He played two seasons for us, scoring 1,097 runs in 1982 when we won the Bradford League Second Division title and then moved on to Undercliffe where he didn't break many pots."

"I can remember picking Asad up from Heathrow Air-port on his first visit to England and we were playing against Laisterdyke that day.

"Although he was very tired, he scored something like 148 not out and he had only been in the country a matter of hours!

"He also scored 171 not out that season in the Priestley Cup - the highest individual score that year in the competition."

Ryan, who stills helps out with sponsorship at Queensbury - now in the Halifax League - added that Rauf was a good man to have in the dressing room.

He said: "Although Asad didn't drink - he is very religious and followed all the Muslim disciplines - he used to stay with us in the clubhouse until 10.30pm, enjoying all the banter, but essentially he was a very quiet man."

Ryan feels that Test-match umpires are under too much scrutiny these days given the advances in TV technology.

He said: "Let them keep TV replays for run-outs and stumpings but they shouldn't use them for catches because there is too much conjecture.

"Mike Atherton was having a go at Asad over some decisions but Asad was proved right. He is doing well overall."