Elite Panel of ICC Umpires

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 a Test match and one of the umpires in a One-day international are now independent of the competing nations, whereas before 2002 just one of the umpires in a Test was independent and in ODIs both umpires 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 10 Tests and 15 ODIs each year.^[1]

History

The panel was formed in 2002 with eight members.^[2] 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.^[3] The last members of the original panel were removed in 2011.

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 an independent official at busy times in the cricket calendar to supplement the Elite Panel.^[1] The best performing umpires may earn promotion to the Elite Panel.

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.^[4]

Current members

The Elite Panel consists of:

List of Elite Panel of ICC Umpires
Umpire	Date of Birth	Age as of 30 April 2015	Year Appointed	Tests	ODIs	T20Is	Country
Richard Illingworth	23 August 1963	7009162740880000000♠51 years, 208 days	2013	9	27	11	England
Bruce Oxenford	5 March 1960	7009174050640000000♠55 years, 56 days	2012	20	57	17	Australia
Aleem Dar	6 June 1968	7009147998880000000♠46 years, 328 days	2004	89	159	35	Pakistan
Steve Davis	9 April 1952	7009198994320000000♠63 years, 21 days	2008	53	124	26	Australia
Ian Gould	19 August 1957	7009182072880000000♠57 years, 254 days	2009	40	88	28	England
Billy Bowden^	11 April 1963	7009164263680000000♠52 years, 19 days	2003	76	189	21	New Zealand
Marais Erasmus	27 February 1964	7009161479440000000♠51 years, 62 days	2010	25	52	20	South Africa
Rod Tucker	28 August 1964	7009159904800000000♠50 years, 245 days	2010	33	45	23	Australia
Kumar Dharmasena	24 April 1971	7009138905280000000♠44 years, 6 days	2011	25	54	17	Sri Lanka
Richard Kettleborough	15 March 1973	7009132939360000000♠42 years, 46 days	2011	22	42	17	England
Nigel Llong	11 February 1969	7009145838880000000♠46 years, 78 days	2012	25	79	20	England
Paul Reiffel	19 April 1966	7009154727280000000♠49 years, 11 days	2013	10	33	13	Australia

^Bowden was missing from the panel between 2013 and 2014.

Former members

The first departures from the panel came in 2004 when Srinivas Venkataraghavan (known as Venkat) retired,^[5] and Asoka de Silva, Dave Orchard and Russell Tiffin did not have their contracts renewed.^[6] David Shepherd retired in 2005 following 22 years as an international umpire.^[7] Darrell Hair, who joined the panel in 2003, was banned from officiating in matches involving full ICC members following the Ball tampering controversy in August 2006.^[8] In March 2008, following a spell officiating associate members, Hair was once again permitted to umpire full members,^[9] but in August he handed in his resignation after he was only allowed to officiate in two tests.^[10]

Steve Bucknor retired in 2009, having stood in a record 128 Tests since March 1989.^[11] Rudi Koertzen retired in 2010,^[12] while Mark Benson, who had joined the panel in 2006, stood down to return to domestic cricket.^[13] Asoka de Silva, who rejoined the panel in 2008, was stood down again in 2011 along with Daryl Harper,^[14] and Billy Doctrove retired in 2012.^[15]

Former elite panel members can still umpire in ODIs and international T20s. Statistics correct as of 7 June 2012.

Original panel member

List of Elite Panel of ICC Umpires (Original panel)
Umpire	Date of Birth	Joined Panel	Left Panel	Tests	ODIs	T20Is	Country
Steve Bucknor	31 May 1946	2002	2009	128	181	—	West Indies (Jamaica)
Asoka de Silva^	28 March 1956	2002	2011	49	121	11	Sri Lanka
Daryl Harper	23 October 1951	2002	2011	94	174	10	Australia
Rudi Koertzen	26 March 1949	2002	2010	108	206	14	South Africa
Dave Orchard	24 June 1948	2002	2004	44	107	—	South Africa
David Shepherd	27 December 1940	2002	2005	92	172	—	England
Russell Tiffin	4 June 1959	2002	2004	44	126	4	Zimbabwe
Srinivas Venkataraghavan	21 April 1945	2002	2004	73	52	—	India
Darrell Hair	30 September 1952	2003	2008	78	135	6	Australia
Billy Doctrove	3 July 1955	2006	2012	38	112	17	West Indies (Dominica)
Mark Benson	6 July 1958	2006	2010	27	72	19	England
Simon Taufel	21 January 1971	2003	2012	74	174	34	Australia
Tony Hill	26 June 1951	2009	2014	40	96	17	New Zealand
Asad Rauf	12 May 1956	2006	2013	47	98	23	Pakistan