Iconic umpire and one of the most beloved figures in cricket’s history, Dickie Bird, died aged 92 on Tuesday. According to the official statement issued by Yorkshire County, Bird died peacefully at his home. He enjoyed a glowing career as an international umpire, cementing his place as one of the most famous and popular match officials in the sport’s history.
“The thoughts of everyone at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club are with Dickie’s family and friends during this time. He will be truly missed by all at the Club, having spent an incredible amount of time in support of everyone here, and will be remembered as one of the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history,” the club said in an official statement.
He umpired in three consecutive World Cup finals in 1975, 1979, and 1983. As the main official when Kapil Dev‘s team stunned the West Indies at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, he witnessed India’s first-ever World Cup triumph up close and personal.
Bird is also synonymous with Yorkshire Cricket. In 2014, he became the President of The Yorkshire County Cricket Club, overseeing the club’s two County Championship titles during his tenure.
Bird’s playing career was hampered by an injury; however, he refused to give up, becoming one of the most iconic umpires. He officiated in 66 Tests and 69 ODIs, including three World Cup finals. His conduct and behaviour on the field earned him the admiration of players and fans alike.
He was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1986 and an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2012 due to his outstanding contribution to cricket.
More about Bird’s career
Bird played 93 first-class and two List-A matches, scoring 3323 runs in his career. He retired from professional cricket aged 32. He then went on to officiate in his first game in 1970, with his first outing coming in a Test between England and New Zealand at Leeds in 1973.
In 1992, he also stood in Zimbabwe’s first inaugural Test as the first ICC panel umpire. The players gave him a guard of honour, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he officiated in his last Test, which was played between England and India at Lord’s Cricket Ground in 1996.
It must be stated that Dickie Bird’s last Test as an umpire marked the debut for Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in the longest format of the game.
