RateTheRef

When are we going to get an announcement of umpires for the T20 World Cup? Understand the Bangladesh issue may have required some late changes but surely ICC know by now given all their umpires need to be in India/ Sri Lanka by early next week? They could surely release list of names even if match appointments are yet to be finalised

I don’t reckon we’ll get an announcement of match officials for the World Cup until after the Bangladesh issue is finally resolved. ICC need to make a final decision now. But if appears likely and Bangladesh do withdraw I reckon it’s unlikely Sohel will be umpiring as he is contracted with the BCB. The big question is whether elite umpire Sharfuddula will also be excluded. For what it’s worth I expect he will be allowed to because he is contracted to the ICC but would have to umpire all games in Sri Lanka.

I can’t help thinking Illingworth, Reiffel and Tucker will all retire by 2027 so it will be interesting to see if ICC manage one of them out after the World Cup so they don’t have 3 experienced officials leaving at the same time. Tucker is 62 this year so I expect he will umpire his 100th test and then retire early in 2027. illingworth is currently on 82 tests but due to his age he will have to leave the panel by 2028 at the latest (turning 65 that year) and I can’t see that there will be enough appointments in the next 2 years to allow him to get to 100 tests. Therefore he might retire after 82 tests rather than been forced to retire in the 90s. Unless he wants to equal tests with the great David Shepherd. Reiffel is slightly younger but would need at least 3-4 more years to get to 100 tests, which seems unlikely. I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides to retire at the same time as Tucker as they both commenced their umpiring journey at the same time.

I reckon there are 7 umpires in the mix for last four spots. Favourite has to be Rashad Riaz, given he officiated at the 2024 event. Then there’s Langton Rusere, Martin Saggers, Leslie Reiffer, Donovan Koch, Pakteen, Roly Black. My tip is Riaz, Rusere, Saggers and Reiffer.
These selections are important because I expect quite a few positions on the emerging and elite panel to open up in the next couple of years so you’d have to think those selected for the World Cup will likely join these panels soon.

Have to say that the standard of umpiring in the Ashes so far hasn’t been great. Nitin Menon has been particularly disappointing compared to his performances over the last few years. What has been particularly disappointing is that many of the decisions haven’t been 50-50 calls with a small edge, glove near pads etc but instead have been howlers, big inside edges, balls going way down leg side, pitched outside leg or bat nowhere near the ball. All four of the umpires so far have had at least one of these howlers. Let’s hope it improves when the more experienced Gaffaney and Dharmasena take over in Melbourne.

Umpires are unfortunately the centre of attention during the third Ashes Test with at least three controversial DRS incidents so far. The crux of the issue is that Australia uses snicko instead of Ultraedge and clearly neither the players or umpires trust it. For an experienced third umpire like Chris Gaffaney to appear so uncertain with trusting Snicko shows there is a major problem. It might get to the point where third umpires have to ignore the technology and go more with their gut feel, if Gaffaney had done this he may have come up with a different decision each time. Either way it is a problem and I feel sorry for the umpires who are being made to look foolish and indecisive.

I think Nogajski might have just jumped into favouritism to be the next elite panel umpire after that performance. Not easy conditions to umpire and easily outperformed Illingworth and Raza. And I reckon either/both of Reiffel and Illingworth may call it quits after the World Cup so there should be spots available.

Richard Illingworth has gone from the best to almost the worst umpire on the elite panel within 6 months. Reminds me of what happened with Steve Bucknor. Some of his decisions overturned in Bangladesh weren’t even close on the naked eye. At his age he really should have retired after the WTC final in his home country. Surely he’ll call it a day after next year’s T20 World Cup?