Billy Bowden

Billy Bowden

Personal information
Full name	Brent Fraser Bowden
Born	11 April 1963 (1963-04-11) (age 48) Henderson, New Zealand
Nickname	Billy
Umpiring information
Tests umpired	69 (2000–present)
ODIs umpired	160 (1995–present)
T20Is umpired	19 (2005–present)
Career statistics
Source: Cricinfo, 4 March 2011

Brent Fraser "Billy" Bowden (born 11 April 1963) is an international cricket umpire from New Zealand. He was a player until he began to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and took up umpiring. He is well known for his dramatic signalling style which includes "crooked finger of doom" out signal.^[1]

Career

In March 1995 Bowden officiated his first One Day International between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Hamilton. In March 2000 he was appointed his first Test match as an on-field umpire, and in 2002 he was included in the Emirates Panel of International Umpires. A year later he was asked to umpire at the Cricket World Cup in South Africa, and was chosen to be the fourth umpire in the final between Australia and India. Shortly after this he was duly promoted to the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, of which he is still a member. He reprised his role as fourth umpire in the 2007 Cricket World Cup final and was involved in the wrong decision that caused the match to end in darkness.^[2] Bowden was involved in an incident at the 2006 Brisbane Ashes test while standing at the square leg fielding position, when knocked to the ground by a ball hit by Geraint Jones.^[3] In January 2007, Bowden became the youngest umpire to officiate in 100 ODIs during the New Zealand and Sri Lanka match at Hamilton, which corresponded exactly with his first ODI in 1995. Simon Taufel bettered that record a few days later.

Signals

Because of his arthritis, it was too painful for Bowden to signal a batsman out in the conventional fashion,^[4] with a straight index finger raised above the head, and this led to the "crooked finger of doom". He has also put his own slant on several other signals, including a "crumb-sweeping" wave of the arm to signal four, and the "double crooked finger six-phase hop" to signal a six. His signals are sedate in Tests, more flashy in ODIs and decidedly flamboyant in Twenty20. His behavior has attracted him both fans and critics alike. Martin Crowe has referred to him as Bozo the Clown,^[4] and at least one commentator has said he should remember that cricket is for the players and fans, not for the umpires.^[5] However there was the suggestion that he needs to do the signals in the way he does because of his arthritis, as he needs to keep his body fluid.^[4]

He is the first ICC Elite Panel umpire to appear in a Pepsi TV Commercial- Tedi Ungal( Bent/Crooked Finger) which was displayed during Cricket World Cup 2011

International Umpiring Statistics

As of 29 July 2011:^[6]

	First	Latest	Total
Tests	New Zealand v Australia at Auckland, Mar 2000	England v India at Lords, July 2011	69
ODIs	New Zealand v Sri Lanka at Hamilton, Mar 1995	England v Sri Lanka at Manchester, Jul 2011	160
T20Is	New Zealand v Australia at Auckland, Feb 2005	New Zealand v Pakistan at Auckland, Dec 2010	19

Awards

ICC Bronze Bails Award for 100 ODIs.

References

1. ^ Billy Bowden Signaling Style Photos
2. ^ Malcolm Conn (2007-05-02). "Neutral umpires have failed". www.theaustralian.news.com.au The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21656083-5001505,00.html. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
3. ^ "Quick Singles: Jones 1 Bowden 0". Cricinfo. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/newzealand/content/story/269761.html. Retrieved 2007-03-22. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} "Bowden breaks the mould". news.bbc.co.uk BBC. 2003-08-20. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/test_match_special/3135395.stm. Retrieved 2007-03-22. 
5. ^ Malcolm Conn (2007-01-05). "Bumble Bowden should be humble". www.theaustralian.news.com.au The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21012467-23212,00.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
6. ^ "Billy Bowden | New Zealand Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials". ESPN Cricinfo. http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/36339.html. Retrieved 2011-10-14. 

External links

• Billy Bowden at Cricinfo.
• [1] - Podcast site of the Beige Brigade

Persondata
Name	Bowden, Billy
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1963-04-11
Place of birth	Henderson
Date of death
Place of death