"Dickie Bird may well have been the most consistent, the most famous and the most loved umpire in cricket history and yet when he pitched up at the grounds of ambitious county teams in the 1970s and 80s there would often be groans in the home dressing room. Dickie's presence was bound to enliven the game but it would also make it harder to win."
"Dickie was a cautious umpire, who required certainty before he raised his finger to send a batsman back to the pavilion (often with a bellowed That's Out). To win games, which usually meant taking 20 wickets, the bold captain would prefer one of the more cavalier umpires on the circuit, who might later boast of his hundred victims by the end of May, to be officiating."
"As a young man he played for Barnsley CC alongside Michael Parkinson, who remained a constant friend, and soon they were joined in the team by Geoffrey Boycott, who was several years younger but destined to score rather more runs than the other two. Boycott has since acknowledged Bird's natural talent while also referencing, to the surprise of no one, that he was often hampered by nerves."
Dickie Bird became one of cricket's most consistent, famous and loved umpires, known for enlivening matches while making victories harder due to his cautious decision-making. He required certainty before giving batsmen out, often bellowing 'That's Out', and rejected cavalier officiating that prioritized wicket totals. A lifelong bachelor, he said he was 'married to the game of cricket.' Before umpiring from 1970 he had an undistinguished professional playing career, featuring a standout unbeaten 181 for Yorkshire in 1959, subsequent moves to Leicestershire, injuries, loss of form, and five seasons as Paignton CC's cricket professional.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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