One of the most known and beloved umpires in cricket history, Dickie Bird has passed away at the age of 92. He officiated in a total of 66 Tests and 69 ODIs, including the famous 1983 ODI World Cup final between India and West Indies. He had began his career as a batter for Yorkshire in 1956 and later went on to even serve as the county club's President.
In a statement, Yorkshire confirmed that Bird passed away peacefully at home. They also paid an emotional tribute for the legendary umpire where they labelled him as 'one of the greatest characters in Yorkshire's history'.
"He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy -- and a legion of admirers across generations," the Yorkshire Cricket Club said in a statement.
"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," the statement further read.
Bird was an immensely popular figure
Bird never got a chance to play for the England cricket team, but he did make a name for himself in County Cricket and then as an umpire. He is regarded as one of the finest umpires that the game has ever seen and also one of the most beloved figures in the sport's history.
Bird officiated in Ganguly and Dravid's Test debut
Notably, Bird also officiated in the Test debut of both Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. The legendary Indian duo made their red-ball debut in the same match in 1996. The game was contested at Lord's and saw both Ganguly and Dravid impress with their knocks of 131 and 95 respectively in India's first innings.
Incidentally, that match went on to be the last Test that Bird officiated in. He was given a guard of honour by both the Indian and English players and was also given a standing ovation by the crowd, which is rare for an umpire. He went on to release his autobiography in 1995 and it ended up being a massive success, selling over a million copies. This once again showcased his immense popularity not just in the cricket, but in the outside world as well.