Former Test umpire Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird has died at the age of 92, Yorkshire County Cricket Club have announced.
Bird was one of the most prominent umpires of his era, and was made president of his home county in 2014.
In a statement, Yorkshire added: “The thoughts of everyone at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club are with Dickie’s family and friends during this time.
“He will be truly missed by all at the club having spent an incredible amount of time in support of everyone here and will be remembered as one the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history.”
Bird will be celebrated farther and wider than he might ever have hoped, particularly within the cricket family, which acted as a surrogate for his own lack of wife or children.
Born on April 19, 1933 in Barnsley, he was named Harold Dennis, having not yet adopted his schoolboy nickname, and rose to play county cricket with Yorkshire and Leicestershire.
Bird claimed to have a technique to rival fellow Yorkshireman Geoffrey Boycott, but a temperament less suited to elite competition. There were highs, such as his career-best 181 not out for Yorkshire, and lows, such as his immediate dropping from the very next match.
He left Yorkshire over a lack of opportunities but failed to find his feet at Leicestershire and retired at the age of 32 with an average of 20.71.
Bird umpired a county match for the first time in 1970 and stood in his first Test just three years later.
By the time he departed the scene – after 66 Tests and 69 ODIs – he had redefined his own career and reset the parameters of the job itself.
He shared the field with some of the game’s biggest stars and brightest talents but, more often than not, a line of autograph-hunters formed to meet the man in the middle at the end of a day’s play. He signed every time.
Bird’s popularity ultimately transcended umpiring too. His autobiography chalked up more than a million sales, becoming the UK’s biggest selling sports book.
He also entertained the public for years as a TV personality and travelling raconteur.
Expressing “profound sadness” for his loss, Yorkshire paid tribute to a man who transcended his role to become one of the most recognisable figures in the sport.
“Dickie Bird enjoyed an illustrious career as an international umpire, writing his name into history as the most famous and popular official in the game’s history,” the county’s statement added.
In other cricket news, England will come to Australia with a battery of pace bowlers spearheading their attempt to regain the Ashes, but with questions over their batting line-up and the fitness of several players.
The tourists have named 16 men for the five-Test series including a shock pick as back-up spinner and with Harry Brook taking over from Ollie Pope as vice-captain. Eleven of the party have never played a Test in Australia.
Chris Woakes, whose last act as an England player was to bat with a dislocated shoulder on the dramatic last day of the England-India series, has not been included, but six quicks have, including the very rapid duo of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood
Brook’s promotion suggests Pope’s place as No.3 is under threat after a long period of mixed form. Jacob Bethell, who is yet to score a first-class century, is the most likely candidate to replace him but Will Jacks is an outside pick.
With five Tests in seven weeks, starting in Perth on November 21, keeping bowlers fit could be key to who wins. Australia have their own problems with captain Pat Cummins a doubt for the first Test with a back problem.
ENGLAND ASHES SQUAD:
B Stokes (capt), H Brook (vice-capt), J Archer, G Atkinson, S Bashir, J Bethell, B Carse, Z Crawley, B Duckett, W Jacks, O Pope, M Potts, J Root, J Smith (wk), J Tongue, M Wood.
with PA