ICC announces Emirates Elite Panel officials for India v Pakistan and South Africa v Zimbabwe series

Bucknor to stand in 100th Test match in Kolkata

The International Cricket Council today announced the match officials for the series between India and Pakistan and South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Steve Bucknor from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires will become the first umpire to stand in 100 Test matches in the second match of the series between India and Pakistan on 16-20 March in Kolkata.

Bucknor will stand with Darrell Hair in the second match of the three-match series. Hair will stand with fellow Emirates Elite Panel umpire Rudi Koertzen in the First Test while Simon Taufel and Billy Bowden will officiate in the Third Test.

Bowden will by the ICC-appointed umpire in the first three One-Day Internationals between India and Pakistan while Koertzen will take this role in the final three ODIs.

By reaching a century of Test appearances, Bucknor will become the first recipient of the ICC Golden Bails Award, part of the ICC’s Umpire Recognition programme which also includes the Bronze Bails Award (for 100 ODI appearances) and Silver Bails Award (for 200 ODIs).

Bucknor’s first Test match in the middle was the Fourth Test between West Indies and India in Kingston, Jamaica in April 1989. He has officiated in four consecutive ICC Cricket World Cup finals.

The match referee for the India v Pakistan series will be Chris Broad from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Referees while Alan Hurst will referee the matches between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Billy Doctrove from Dominica who, like Bucknor, is also a qualified football referee will stand in his first Test match since two neutral officials became mandatory in the first Test of the South Africa v Zimbabwe series in March.

For details of the umpires and referees for New Zealand v Australia, South Africa v Zimbabwe and India v Pakistan, visit the umpires and referees section of the ICC website at http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/umpires-referees/appointments.html

Steve Bucknor factfile:
Date of Birth: 31 May 1946 (Jamaica)
First Test match: West Indies v India at Kingston, 4th Test, 1988/89
Latest Test match: South Africa v England at Centurion, 5th Test, 2004/05
Test Appearances: 99

Most Test matches as umpire: