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 were 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] The list of umpires in the panel is revised every year by the ICC Umpires Selection Panel.

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 retired in 2011. The original eight panel members were: Steve Bucknor, Daryl Harper, Ashoka de Silva, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, Rudi Koertzen, Dave Orchard, David Shepherd and Russell Tiffin.

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 officials 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 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] In July 2019, Michael Gough and Joel Wilson were added to the Elite panel following the retirement of Ian Gould and exclusion of Sundaram Ravi after the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[5]

On 16 March 2023, Ahsan Raza and Adrian Holdstock joined the panel after Aleem Dar stepped down from the panel.[6]

As of 17 March 2023, Australia and England have jointly provided the most panel members with seven. South Africa with four, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and West Indies have provided three; Sri Lanka has provided two; and Zimbabwe has provided just one member. No members have featured from the Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Ireland, among the Full members.

Current members

As of 27 January 2024 cricket season the Elite Panel consists of:[7][8][9]

List of Elite Panel of ICC Umpires
Umpire Date of Birth Age as of 7 February 2024 Year Appointed Tests[10] ODIs[11] T20Is[12] Country
Marais Erasmus 27 February 1964 59 years, 345 days 2010 79 124 43 South Africa South Africa
Rod Tucker 28 August 1964 59 years, 163 days 2010 83 102 52 Australia Australia
Kumar Dharmasena 24 April 1971 52 years, 289 days 2011 81 127 42 Sri Lanka Sri Lanka
Richard Kettleborough 15 March 1973 50 years, 329 days 2011 80 106 36 England England
Richard Illingworth 23 August 1963 60 years, 126 days 2013 66 90 27 England England
Paul Reiffel 19 April 1966 57 years, 294 days 2013 65 88 27 Australia Australia
Chris Gaffaney 30 November 1975 48 years, 100 days 2015 51 86 43 New Zealand New Zealand
Michael Gough 18 December 1979 44 years, 51 days 2019 33 85 22 England England
Joel Wilson 30 December 1966 57 years, 39 days 2019 38 92 43 Cricket West Indies West Indies
Nitin Menon 2 November 1983 40 years, 97 days 2020 21 58 41 India India
Ahsan Raza 29 May 1974 49 years, 254 days 2023 11 53 74 Pakistan Pakistan
Adrian Holdstock 27 April 1970 53 years, 286 days 2023 8 57 50 South Africa South Africa

Former members

The first departures from the panel came in 2004 when Srinivas Venkataraghavan (known as Venkat) retired,[13] and Asoka de Silva, Dave Orchard and Russell Tiffin did not have their contracts renewed.[14] David Shepherd retired in 2005 following 22 years as an international umpire.[15] 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.[16] In March 2008, following a spell officiating associate members, Hair was once again permitted to umpire full members,[17] but in August he handed in his resignation after he was only allowed to officiate in two tests.[18]

Steve Bucknor retired in 2009, having stood in a then record 128 Tests since March 1989.[19] Rudi Koertzen retired in 2010,[20] while Mark Benson, who had joined the panel in 2006, stood down to return to domestic cricket.[21] Asoka de Silva, who rejoined the panel in 2008, was stood down again in 2011 along with Daryl Harper,[22] Simon Taufel and Billy Doctrove retired in 2012[23] and Steve Davis retired in 2015. Sundaram Ravi was dropped from the panel after 2019 Cricket World Cup.[24] Ian Gould retired from the panel after the 2019 World Cup.[25] Bruce Oxenford retired from the panel in 2021.[26]

Former elite panel members can still umpire in ODIs and international T20s. Statistics correct as of 31 January 2021.

List of Former members of Elite Panel of ICC Umpires
Umpire Date of Birth Joined Panel Left Panel Tests ODIs T20Is Country
Steve Bucknor † 31 May 1946 2002 2009 128 181 – Cricket West Indies West Indies
Asoka de Silva^ † 28 March 1956 2002 2011 49 121 11 Sri Lanka Sri Lanka
Daryl Harper † 23 October 1951 2002 2011 94 174 10 Australia Australia
Rudi Koertzen † 26 March 1949 2002 2010 108 206 14 South Africa South Africa
Dave Orchard † 24 June 1948 2002 2004 44 107 – South Africa South Africa
David Shepherd † 27 December 1940 2002 2005 92 172 – England England
Russell Tiffin † 4 June 1959 2002 2004 44 126 4 Zimbabwe Zimbabwe
Srinivas Venkataraghavan † 21 April 1945 2002 2004 73 52 – India India
Darrell Hair 30 September 1952 2003 2008 78 135 6 Australia Australia
Billy Doctrove 3 July 1955 2006 2012 38 112 17 Cricket West Indies West Indies
Mark Benson 6 July 1958 2006 2010 27 72 19 England England
Simon Taufel 21 January 1971 2003 2012 74 174 34 Australia Australia
Tony Hill 26 June 1951 2009 2014 40 96 17 New Zealand New Zealand
Asad Rauf † 12 May 1956 2006 2013 47 98 23 Pakistan Pakistan
Billy Bowden 11 April 1967 2003 2015 84 200 21 New Zealand New Zealand
Steve Davis 9 April 1952 2008 2015 57 137 26 Australia Australia
Ian Gould 19 August 1957 2009 2019 73 135 37 England England
Sundaram Ravi 22 April 1966 2010 2019 33 48 18 India India
Nigel Llong 11 February 1969 2012 2020 62 130 32 England England
Bruce Oxenford 5 March 1960 2012 2021 62 97 20 Australia Australia
Aleem Dar 6 June 1968 2004 2023 139 210 46 Pakistan Pakistan

^de Silva was absent from the panel between 2004 and 2008.

Records

Test matches

Most Test matches as an umpire:[27]

Umpire Period Matches TV Umpire Total
Pakistan Aleem Dar 2003–2023 144 27 171
Cricket West Indies Steve Bucknor 1989–2009 128 2 130
South Africa Rudi Koertzen 1992–2010 108 20 128
Australia Daryl Harper 1996–2011 95 9 104
England David Shepherd 1985–2005 92 0 92
Last updated: 19 March 2023

ODI matches

Most ODI matches as an umpire:[28]

Umpire Period Matches TV Umpire Total
Pakistan Aleem Dar 2003–2023 222 66 288
South Africa Rudi Koertzen 1992–2010 209 41 250
New Zealand Billy Bowden 1995–2016 200 59 259
Cricket West Indies Steve Bucknor 1989–2009 181 26 207
Australia Daryl Harper 1994–2011 174 45 219
Last updated: 19 March 2023

T20I matches

Most T20I matches as an umpire:[29]

Umpire Period Matches TV Umpire Total
Pakistan Ahsan Raza 2010–present 72 22 94
Pakistan Aleem Dar 2009–2023 69 16 85
South Africa Allahudien Paleker 2010–2022 53 7 60
Australia Rod Tucker 2006–2022 52 25 77
Zimbabwe Langton Rusere 2015–present 50 16 66
Last updated: 19 March 2023

See also

References

  1. ^ a b About ICC – Match Officials Archived 1 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ ICC's Announcement of Elite Panel in 2002[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Willey declines place on panel[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Emirates Sponsorship[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Michael Gough, Joel Wilson added to ICC Elite umpires panel; S Ravi omitted". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Aleem Dar ends 19-year old career as Elite Panel Umpire". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Elite Panel of ICC Umpires". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Nitin Menon included in Elite Panel for 2020-21". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  9. ^ "Adrian Holdstock, Ahsan Raza join ICC Elite Panel of Umpires as Aleem Dar steps down". www.icc-cricket.com. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Test records – Most matches umpired". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  11. ^ "ODI records – Most matches umpired". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  12. ^ "T20I records – Most matches umpired". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  13. ^ Venkat retires[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ Umpires dropped in 2004[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ Shepherd retires[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ Hair banned
  17. ^ Darrell Hair reinstated by ICC
  18. ^ Hair quits to focus on coaching
  19. ^ ICC pays tribute to Steve Bucknor as he prepares for retirement in March[permanent dead link]
  20. ^ Umpire Rudi Koertzen set to retire
  21. ^ Umpire Mark Benson retires from ICC elite panel
  22. ^ Harper, de Silva removed from Elite Panel
  23. ^ Billy Doctrove retires from international cricket
  24. ^ "India's S Ravi set to be axed from ICC Elite Panel of Umpires". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  25. ^ "Umpire Ian Gould to retire after World Cup". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  26. ^ "Umpire Oxenford to retire from international cricket". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  27. ^ "Most matches as an umpire: Test". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  28. ^ "Most matches as an umpire: ODI". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  29. ^ "Most matches as an umpire: T20I". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 June 2012.

External links

Cricket umpires
ICC Elite Panel of Umpires
Categories