The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Bucknor to stand in fifth successive final

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Saturday, Apr 28, 2007
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Bucknor to stand in fifth successive final

Special Correspondent

Bridgetown: Steve Bucknor will stand in his fifth successive World Cup final when he takes the field with Aleem Dar on Saturday.

Rudi Koertzen will be the third umpire, while Jeff Crowe will be the match referee.

Bucknor first stood in 1992. "It's a dream come true," Bucknor said. "I was happy knowing I was umpiring in a World Cup in the Caribbean and now being asked to stand in the final again makes it even more special.

`No extra pressure'

"Just because the final is taking place here does not mean it is any extra pressure for me than, say, my third or fourth finals, for example. Each game has its pressures and you have to deal with that," Bucknor said.

"As for preparations, it will be business as usual. I will go for a jog around the savannah to get myself ready, as I always do when I am here in Barbados."

Dar said, "It is a dream come true for me too," he admitted. "I have always worked well together with Steve, he is a great umpire and we have a good understanding, and so that should be a great help to me on Saturday. There is no doubt that it is a big match — the biggest — but I will look to treat it as I would any other match and just look to do my job the best I can."

AFP reports: The ICC also named New Zealander Billy Bowden as the reserve umpire.

The only officials who come close to Bucknor's record are Englishmen Dickie Bird (1975, 1979 and 1983) and David Shepherd (1996, 1999 and 2003), who both stood in three finals. Incidentally, Koertzen passed Shepherd's record for on-field ODI umpiring appearances earlier in the tournament.

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