Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Thanks. And welcome back (I know I'm later than most, but nonetheless, we've been bemoaning your absence for months and months and months).Slow Love™;1440058 said:I won't defend Bucknor at present, as clearly he needs to be dropped from the International Panel immediately.
But I agree with Richard that he had actually umpired to a pretty good standard through the last couple of years. I certainly remember that there was a thread or two (and plenty of comments in the "official thread") as to his consistently high level umpiring during the last Ashes series.
It's a terrible, terrible shame now that Bucknor did indeed go on after the World Cup. Because whatever happens for the rest of his career - whether he has another few good games, whether he retires tomorrow - his reputation will forever be tarnished by this match. What's more, there'll always be the thought that one Umpire's failure to retire has cost a team a Test-match.
It's such a shame for a man who was for many years a more than competant Umpire.
I guess it'd probably be best for everyone if he were to retire very soon. But I've rarely wished so badly that someone had retired at an earlier date.