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] The list of umpires in the panel are 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 were removed 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 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].

As of 2018, Australia have provided the most members of the panel with seven. England have provided six members; South Africa and New Zealand have provided three each; India, Sri Lanka and the West Indies have provided two each; and Zimbabwe have provided just one member.

Current members

As of the 2018/19 cricket season the Elite Panel consists of:^[5]

List of Elite Panel of ICC Umpires

Umpire	Date of Birth	Age as of 13 October 2018	Year Appointed	Tests	ODIs	T20Is	Country
Richard Illingworth	23 August 1963	7004200980000000000♠55 years, 9 days	2013	33	57	16	England
Bruce Oxenford	5 March 1960	7004214060000000000♠58 years, 222 days	2012	49	86	20	Australia
Aleem Dar	6 June 1968	7004183910000000000♠50 years, 129 days	2004	118	190	43	Pakistan
Ian Gould	19 August 1957	7004223350000000000♠61 years, 55 days	2009	65	125	37	England
Marais Erasmus	27 February 1964	7004199520000000000♠54 years, 228 days	2010	49	75	26	South Africa
Rod Tucker	28 August 1964	7004197690000000000♠54 years, 46 days	2010	61	74	35	Australia
Kumar Dharmasena	24 April 1971	7004173390000000000♠47 years, 172 days	2011	53	85	22	Sri Lanka
Richard Kettleborough	15 March 1973	7004166480000000000♠45 years, 212 days	2011	51	74	22	England
Nigel Llong	11 February 1969	7004181410000000000♠49 years, 244 days	2012	52	117	32	England
Paul Reiffel	19 April 1966	7004191700000000000♠52 years, 177 days	2013	38	54	16	Australia
Sundaram Ravi	22 April 1966	7004191670000000000♠52 years, 174 days	2015	26	33	18	India
Chris Gaffaney	30 November 1975	7004156890000000000♠42 years, 348 days	2015	20	57	20	New Zealand

Former members

The first departures from the panel came in 2004 when Srinivas Venkataraghavan (known as Venkat) retired,^[6] and Asoka de Silva, Dave Orchard and Russell Tiffin did not have their contracts renewed.^[7] David Shepherd retired in 2005 following 22 years as an international umpire.^[8] 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.^[9] In March 2008, following a spell officiating associate members, Hair was once again permitted to umpire full members,^[10] but in August he handed in his resignation after he was only allowed to officiate in two tests.^[11]

Steve Bucknor retired in 2009, having stood in a record 128 Tests since March 1989.^[12] Rudi Koertzen retired in 2010,^[13] while Mark Benson, who had joined the panel in 2006, stood down to return to domestic cricket.^[14] Asoka de Silva, who rejoined the panel in 2008, was stood down again in 2011 along with Daryl Harper,^[15] Simon Taufel and Billy Doctrove retired in 2012^[16] and Steve Davis retired in 2015.

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

• Original panel member

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	—	West Indies
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
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
Brent (Billy) Bowden	11 April 1967	2003	2015	84	195	21	New Zealand
Steve Davis	April 9, 1952	2008	2015	57	137	26	Australia

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

Records

Most Test matches as an umpire:^[17]

Umpire	Period	Matches
Steve Bucknor	1989–2009	128
Aleem Dar	2003–present	118
Rudi Koertzen	1992–2010	108

Most ODI matches as an umpire:^[18]

Umpire	Period	Matches
Rudi Koertzen	1992–2010	209
Billy Bowden	1995–2016	200
Aleem Dar	2003–present	190

Most T20I matches as an umpire:^[19]

Umpire	Period	Matches
Aleem Dar	2009–present	43
Ian Gould	2006–present	37
Rod Tucker	2009–present	35
Simon Taufel	2007–2012	34
Nigel Llong	2005–present	32
Sarika Prasad	2006–present	29

See also

• Panel of ICC Referees
• ICC International umpire panel
• List of Test umpires
• ICC Associates and Affiliates Umpire Panel

References

External links

• ICC match officials