Legendary former cricket umpire Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird has died at the age of 92. Bird officiated 66 Tests and 69 ODIs between 1973 and 1995. He was counted among the best umpires in the world throughout his career and officiated three consecutive World Cup finals, including the 1983 match in which Kapil Dev’s India upset the mighty West Indies. Bird was also a prominent figure at the Yorkshire Cricket Club, having started his career as a top order batter for them and later serving as the club president.
The Yorkshire Cricket Club, for him Bird played nine-year playing career before briefly moving into coaching and club cricket. “It is with profound sadness that The Yorkshire County Cricket Club announces the passing of Harold Dennis “Dickie” Bird MBE OBE, one of cricket’s most beloved figures, who died peacefully at home at the age of 92,” the club said in its statement on Tuesday.
“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 the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history.
“Further details regarding memorial arrangements will be shared in due course, and the Club will be looking to honour him in a variety of ways in the coming weeks.”
Born on April 19, 1933, Bird played for Leicestershire as well later in his career before ending it rather prematurely at the age of 32 due to injury. He has later expressed regret that he wasn’t more succesfull as a playe – Bird averaged 20.71 in 93 first class matches in which he had scored 3314 runs with two centuries and 14 half-centuries. “I just wish I’d have believed in myself as a batsman the way I do as an umpire,” he told The Cricketer (November 1998) during his final match as an umpire. “I had the ability I can tell you. If you had compared me to Boycott in the nets you would have picked me as the Test player. Ray Illingworth said I played as straight as anyone he’d ever seen. Umpiring has been good to me, but it is the second-best thing to playing.”
Bird’s first match as an umpire was in 1970 and his first Test came in a game between England and New Zealand at Yorkshire’s home in Leeds in 1973. His last Test was was between England and India at Lord’s in June 1996. A guard of honour was given to him by the players on the occassion and he walked out to a standing ovation from the crowds, all of which moved him to tears.
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