The Sunday Mail
Brighton Zhawi
LEGENDARY cricket umpire Russell Tiffin will move close to the 150 ODI landmark when he oversees Zimbabwe’s first One-day International against India at Harare Sports Club next month.
Tiffin, who turns 57 next Saturday, is set to become the only the eighth international umpire to reach the mark. He is Zimbabwe’s most capped umpire with 146 ODIs, 44 Tests and 13 Twenty20s under his belt.
Tiffin will stand with Englishman Ian Gould in the first ODI between Zimbabwe and India on June 13 to move closer to the 150 milestone.
“Ian Gould from England comes to do the three ODIs and then he goes back and then us locals will do all the three T20s. The first one I am on-field with Ian Gould then I go to TV then the third one I am not involved,” said Tiffin.
His first international match was also between Zimbabwe and the Asian side.
“My very first ODI was against India here in 1992 and coming it is 148 (146) which is against India again at the same ground. It has been a long time and lot of traveling in the times of external ICC appointments.”
However, Tiffin feels his 150th ODI could have come earlier if Zimbabwe had played more international games over the past decade.
“The frequency of external appointments for ODI doesn’t really happen. We are fortunate enough to have visiting countries here which is still few and far between, we are not having enough international cricket,” he said.
Tiffin, who was on the ICC Umpires Elite Panel in 2001, has also been appointed Zimbabwe Cricket’s training and performance monitor for local umpires.
He says he is still a student of the game despite a long career in umpiring.
“You got to stay current and move it, a lot of observation and watching is what is required at this level. You learn a lot from other people’s mistakes before you make mistakes as well that’s the fortunate part.
“Know the laws never stop looking at the law book, never. Always look at it whether it’s on your bedside table, bedside draw or dining table, kitchen, toilet keep looking at it. Nobody knows everything you keep looking and checking.”
Tiffin is one of three active umpires with 140-plus matches, the other two being New Zealander Billy Bowden (200) and Aleem Dar of Pakistan (178).
Retired South African umpire Rudi Koertzen is the most capped to date with 209 matches, followed by Bowden (200) and retired West Indian Steve Bucknor (181).
The Australian duo of Daryl Harper and Simon Taufel retired on 174 matches each, while the late Englishman David Shepherd had 172.
Despite the fact that most umpires with 140 or more ODIs to their names are retired, Tiffin said he wanted to continue officiating.
“I will go on as much as I can,” he said. “I am going to continue as long as I can and try stay fit enough to stand. It’s for the game of cricket that you are doing this.”
