Syd Buller

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John Sydney (Syd) Buller, MBE (August 23, 1909- August 7, 1970), was an English first-class cricketer and notable international cricket umpire.

Buller was born in Wortley, Leeds, Yorkshire. As a player, he was a competent wicketkeeper and lower-order right-hand bat. He played for Worcestershire between 1935 and 1946, having played once for Yorkshire in 1930. In 1939, he was severely injured in the car crash that killed Worcestershire opening batsman Charles Bull (cricketer) on the Sunday evening of the Whitsun match with Essex, and missed the next two months of cricket.

He made his debut as a first-class umpire in 1951. He umpired in 33 Tests between 1956 and 1969. He was awarded the MBE in 1965. He collapsed and died at Edgbaston, Birmingham, Warwickshire) when officiating in a match between Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire, during a break for rain.

A fearless umpire, he repeatedly called Geoff Griffin for throwing in the exhibition match staged following the early conclusion of the Lord's Test between England and South Africa in 1960, after Frank Lee had called him during the Test itself. This had the effect of ending Griffin's Test career. [1]