Disappointed Bucknor makes a quiet return to hometown

Veteran international cricket umpire Steve Bucknor, who was dumped last week from the ongoing India-Australia Test series for making two wrong decisions which went against India, has said that he was disappointed at ICCs decision, but added that he respected the same.

Sydney, Jan 15 : Veteran international cricket umpire Steve Bucknor, who was dumped last week from the ongoing India-Australia Test series for making two wrong decisions which went against India, has said that he was disappointed at ICC's decision, but added that he respected the same.

Bucknor, who made a quiet return to his hometown from Australia yesterday, said that to err was human.

"I am disappointed that I am not continuing the tour between Australia and India, in Australia. But I respect ICC's authority in the matter. To err is human, to forgive divine, as the old saying goes. However, I consider it a sad day to see umpires sidelined after making only two wrong decisions out of a record of 35 appeals," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Bucknor as saying in an e-mail sent from his home in Montego Bay.

Bucknor, the 61-year-old Jamaican veteran umpire, has an illustrious career by standing in 120 Tests, and five World Cup Finals. His contract with the ICC is slated to end this March.

Meanwhile, ICC chief Malcolm Speed had last week said that the standing down of Bucknor in the third Test between India and Australia at Parth did not mean he had umpired his last Test.

"I expect that Steve will continue as an ICC elite panel umpire. He's coming to the end of his career and it's been a very illustrious career with lots of high-profile matches. What we're seeking to do here is to take some tension out of the situation. Steve's continued presence had become an issue. Steve accepts that in order for us to move forward this is the best course," he was quoted as saying last week after the controversy raged over Bucknor's decisions in the second Test.

ANI