Elite Panel of ICC Umpires

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The Elite Panel of ICC Umpires is a panel of cricket umpires appointed by the International Cricket Council to officiate in Test matches and One Day Internationals around the world.

The panel was first established in April 2002 when the ICC decided to reform the way that international cricket was umpired. The main change was that both umpires in Test match and one of the umpires in One-day international are now independent of the competing nations, whereas before 2002 just one of the umpires in a Test was neutral and both umpires in ODIs were from the home nation.

The majority of these ICC appointments are fulfilled by the members of the Elite Panel, who are generally thought to be the best umpires in the world. As such the ICC hopes to ensure that umpiring standards are as high as possible. Members of the panel stand in around 12 Tests and 15 ODIs each year.[1]

Contents

[edit] Current members

Umpire Date of Birth Age as at 14 June 2008 Tests ODIs Country
Aleem Dar 6 June 1968 &0000000000000040.00000040 years, &0000000000000008.0000008 days 47 108 Flag of Pakistan Pakistan
Asad Rauf 12 May 1956 &0000000000000052.00000052 years, &0000000000000033.00000033 days 19 51 Flag of Pakistan Pakistan
Mark Benson 6 July 1958 &0000000000000049.00000049 years, &0000000000000344.000000344 days 21 61 Flag of England England
Brent 'Billy' Bowden 11 April 1963 &0000000000000045.00000045 years, &0000000000000064.00000064 days 46 124 Flag of New Zealand New Zealand
Steve Bucknor 31 May 1946 &0000000000000062.00000062 years, &0000000000000014.00000014 days 123 172 Flag of the West Indies Cricket Board West Indies
Steve Davis 9 April 1952 &0000000000000056.00000056 years, &0000000000000066.00000066 days 11 71 Flag of Australia Australia
Asoka de Silva 28 March 1956 &0000000000000052.00000052 years, &0000000000000078.00000078 days 33 76 Flag of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka
Billy Doctrove 3 July 1955 &0000000000000052.00000052 years, &0000000000000347.000000347 days 17 73 Flag of the West Indies Cricket Board West Indies
Darrell Hair 30 September 1952 &0000000000000055.00000055 years, &0000000000000258.000000258 days 77 135 Flag of Australia Australia
Daryl Harper 23 October 1951 &0000000000000056.00000056 years, &0000000000000235.000000235 days 71 150 Flag of Australia Australia
Rudi Koertzen 26 March 1949 &0000000000000059.00000059 years, &0000000000000080.00000080 days 90 190 Flag of South Africa South Africa
Simon Taufel 21 January 1971 &0000000000000037.00000037 years, &0000000000000145.000000145 days 53 124 Flag of Australia Australia

[edit] Scheduled appointments

New Zealand in England
Match Date Venue Umpire Umpire 3rd Umpire
3rd Test 5-9 June Nottingham (Trent Bridge) Steve Bucknor Darrell Hair Peter Hartley
T20I 13 June Manchester (Old Trafford) Ian Gould Peter Hartley Richard Kettleborough
1st ODI 15 June Durham (Riverside) Steve Davis Nigel Llong Peter Hartley
2nd ODI 18 June Birmingham (Edgbaston) Steve Davis Ian Gould Nigel Llong
3rd ODI 21 June Bristol Steve Davis Peter Hartley Ian Gould
4th ODI 25 June London (The Oval) Steve Davis Mark Benson Richard Kettleborough
5th ODI 28 June London (Lord's) Steve Davis Ian Gould Nigel Llong
Australia in West Indies
Match Date Venue Umpire Umpire
2nd Test 30May-3Jn Antigua (North Sound) Mark Benson Russell Tiffin
3rd Test 12-15 June Barbados (Kensington Oval) Aleem Dar Mark Benson
T20I 20 June Barbados (Kensington Oval) Local Official Local Official
1st ODI 24 June St. Vincent (Kingstown) Asad Rauf Local Official
2nd ODI 27 June Grenada (St. Georges) Asad Rauf Local Official
3rd ODI 29 June Grenada (St. Georges) Asad Rauf Local Official
4th ODI 4 July St. Kitts (Basseterre) Asad Rauf Local Official
5th ODI 6 July St. Kitts (Basseterre) Asad Rauf Local Official

Asoka de Silva has been appointed to the Tri Series in Bangladesh - June 2008.

[2]

[edit] Original Panel

When the panel was formed in 2002 it comprised:[3]

Since then Venkat retired in 2004 [4], and David Shepherd retired in 2005 following 22 years as an international umpire.[5] Asoka de Silva, Dave Orchard and Russell Tiffin did not have their contracts renewed in 2004.[6] De Silva was subsequently re-included on the panel in April 2008.

Peter Willey was invited to be on the panel, but declined the opportunity because it would have required him to spend too much time away from his family.[7]

[edit] Additions to the Panel

Members of the International Panel of ICC Umpires stand in ODIs in their home countries, and may be appointed by the ICC to Tests and ODIs as a neutral official at busy times in the cricket calendar to supplement the Elite Panel.[8] The best performing umpires may earn promotion to the Elite Panel. Billy Bowden, Simon Taufel and Darrell Hair were added to the panel in 2003 [9], Aleem Dar in 2004 [10], while Mark Benson, Billy Doctrove and Asad Rauf became members in 2006.[11] Steve Davis became a member on the panel in 2008.

[edit] Sponsorship

Steve Bucknor during the 2006 Ashes Test at Adelaide, wearing a 'Fly Emirates' shirt
Steve Bucknor during the 2006 Ashes Test at Adelaide, wearing a 'Fly Emirates' shirt

Emirates Airlines sponsors the panel, and the umpires are required to wear shirts and coats which have 'Fly Emirates' printed on them whenever they are officiating.[12]

[edit] Darrell Hair

Following the Ball Tampering Controversy in August 2006 Darrell Hair was banned from officiating in matches involving full ICC members.[13] This prompted Hair to sue the ICC for racial discrimination, since Billy Doctrove, the other umpire at the Oval, has continued to officiate in Tests and full ODIs. However, after Hair withdrew his allegations it was revealed that Hair will stand in ICC Associate Member matches as part of a rehabilitation programme. In March 2008 the ICC Board will decide whether to allow Hair to umpire full member matches again, or to remove him from the panel.[14]

On March 12, 2008 Hair was confirmed to be back on the Elite Panel

[edit] References

[edit] See also

[edit] External links