Asad Rauf and Billy Bowden dropped from IIC Elite Umpire Panel

Paul Reiffel and Richard Illingworth are in.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/8842700/Billy-Bowden-dropped-from-elite-umpire-list

Both Rauf and Bowden's demotions have been linked to form, though one suspects Rauf's name coming up in discussion around IPL spot fixing didn't help him either.

No Billy ! A great loss for Show Business

Reiffel is a good umpire. Will be an asset.

No reason to suppose Illingworth won't do a good job either.

A huge loss to showbiz, Alfie, agree!

Not such a loss on the decision making front, though.

64.3
Harmison to Kasprowicz, OUT, short ball banged in, Kasprowicz tries to get out of the way but just cannot manage, the ball balloons up towards the keeper and Geraint Jones takes the catch!

That would probably be Billy Bowden's most famous dismissal. For a sense of theatre, it's a shame he's gone.

Bowden used to be a quality umpire but I think he bought into his own hype a bit and started to concentrate more on the entertainment than actual umpiring side.

Paul Reiffel becoming an umpire just makes me feel old because I remember him well as a bowler in the 1993 Ashes which was the first cricket series I watched. Think he got quite a few wickets as well!

Asad Rauf was obviously dropped from the CT itself.... because his name was involved with IPL bookies.......but whatever happened to innocent unless proven guilty dictum applicable to free democratic societies ?

Bowden was doing good.....and it's a loss to the game.

KP_fan wrote:Asad Rauf was obviously dropped from the CT itself.... because his name was involved with IPL bookies.......but whatever happened to innocent unless proven guilty dictum applicable to free democratic societies ?

Bowden was doing good.....and it's a loss to the game.

They've said it's performance in both cases KPF - I can remember Rauf being criticised a few times over the past 12 months. I suspect the mud thrown didn't help though

Bowden's style has earned him the odd bit of criticism over the years from those who couldn't see past it to the underlying umpiring ability. That said, he's getting on a bit now, and faculties do fade. Hopefully he can take some time away and work on things and come back.

Bowden gone, and Tony Hill stays? Anyone saw the recent Zimbabwe Bangladesh test series?

Delighted Bowden has gone. The best umpires are the ones you don't notice and Bowden never planned to be in that camp.

Can't say I'm sad to see Bowden go, never a fan of his