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| Friday, 9 January 2004 |
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Lanka spared of Harper blues for Aussie series: Bowden for all one - dayers By Sa'adi Thawfeeq Sri Lanka will be spared the umpiring blunders of Daryl Harper for the upcoming one-day and Test series against Australia starting next month. Harper being an Australian has not been assigned for the tour and instead, Sri Lanka will have the lively figure of Brent 'Billy' Bowden of New Zealand for the five one-day internationals. Bowden, who is the youngest umpire in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) elite panel at 40 years will officiate with one other Sri Lankan umpire (to be appointed by Sri Lanka Cricket) in the five matches scheduled to take place at Dambulla (February 20 and 22), R. Premadasa Stadium (February 25 and 27) and at the SSC (February 29). He has officiated in 42 one-day internationals since 1994-95. Harper made a mess of the first two Tests against England that ended in a draw at Galle and Kandy and, was roundly criticized for his poor standard of umpiring. Two of the most experienced pair of umpires from the ICC's elite panel, West Indian Steve Bucknor and India's Srini Venkatraghavan will officiate in the first two Tests between Sri Lanka and Australia to be played at Galle from March 8-12 and at Kandy from March 16-20. Bucknor is the most capped Test umpire with 86 appearances since 1988-89 and Venkatraghavan is the third highest capped umpire with 72 Tests under his belt since 1992-93. They will be replaced for the third and final Test at the SSC from March 24-28 by South African pair Rudi Koertzen (46 Tests) and David Orchard (40 Tests) who together account for 86 Tests between them. Former South African all-rounder Mike Procter will be the match referee for both the one-day and Test series. Procter who is one of the latest recruits to the match referees' panel has officiated in 48 one-day internationals and 20 Tests since 2001-02. |
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