West Indian umpires to officiate in Sri Lanka series

ONLY West Indies umpires will officiate in the three-match CG Insurance T20 West Indies series against Sri Lanka, which bowls off at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua on Wednesday, at 6 pm. West Indies umpires will also be used in the 50-Over and Test series which follow the T20 series.

On Wednesday, a Cricket West Indies (CWI) media release, said, "Former West Indies Test captain Sir Richie Richardson will be the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee for all matches to be played at CCG and the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. The team of match officials will comprise Joel Wilson, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, as well as Gregory Brathwaite, Nigel Duguid, Leslie Reifer Jnr and Patrick Gustard, who are all members of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Umpires."

The CWI release added that the Test series will have special significance for Wilson and Brathwaite. Wilson will stand in his first Test match in the Caribbean. He has so far officiated in 19 Tests, 66 ODIs and 26 T20Is. Brathwaite will stand in his first Test match after officiating in 44 ODIs and 28 T20Is.

"Due to the logistics challenges caused by the covid19 pandemic, all match officials will be from the West Indies due to the ICC temporarily permitting the appointment of locally-based match officials from the Emirates Elite Panel of Match Officials and the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Officials."

Roland Holder, CWI’s senior manager of cricket operations, said: “We have worked over the years to improve the standard of cricket in all areas. It is a just reward for the match officials to be recognised for their hard work by being a part of an all-West Indian match officials team. Everyone at CWI is really happy that they have the opportunity to showcase their skills and we wish them all the very best during the series.”