TORONTO, Canada, CMC – West Indies Cricket Umpires’ Association president, Cecil Fletcher has hailed the quality of Caribbean umpires, noting that significant strides have been made in developing the craft.
Fletcher was speaking as the Canada Cricket Umpires Association and the WICUA celebrated 50 years of partnership with a church service recently here recently.
He said the fact the Caribbean had produced the likes of Jamaican Steve Bucknor and Dominican Billy Doctrove, was adequate proof of the quality emerging from the region.
“We have come a long way,” Fletcher said.
“It is instructive that we recognize and appreciate the value of their contributions internationally and I [am] sure they have made our Caribbean people extremely proud with their performances on the field but behind the stumps.”
Bucknor officiated in an amazing 128 Tests and 181 One-Day Internationals before retiring three years ago while Doctrove stood in 38 Tests, 112 ODIs and 17 Twenty20s before he quit earlier this year.
Fletcher said the formation of WICUA had been important as since then, the organisation had worked feverishly to maintain a high standard and had succeeded in producing excellent umpires.
“[It was a] master stroke when men of wisdom and foresight within the ranks put together their thoughts which ultimately saw the creation of this noble association,” he pointed out.
Head of the CCUA, Trinidadian Basdeo Dookhie said he was also pleased with the progress of his organisation as it had managed to advance from Associate to Full Membership in WICUA within just three years.
Already, over a dozen umpires have been trained and fully certified to officiate at the First Class level through WICUA.
