All out at 92...but howzat for a life?

Famed for his fairness, humour and eccentricities, legendary umpire and national treasure Harold Dennis 'Dickie' Bird said his proudest moment was when the late Queen confided that the Royals 'thought the world' of him. They were not alone

- By Martin Phillips

THE late Queen was a huge fan, Prime Ministers invited him to lunch, women hung their bras on his statue, and Sir Ian Botham thought he was “barking mad”. International umpire Dickie Bird, who has died aged 92, was arguably cricket’s greatest personality in an age when big characters, rather than money or technology, were central to the sport.

It is nearly 30 years since Bird, the game’s first and probably only celebrity umpire, officiated at his final Test match but his legend lives on thanks to the respect he earned over a 25-year career for his ability, fairness and famous eccentricity.

“Ave lost me marbles!” he once told players with his usual self-deprecating smile as he scrambled on his hands and knees after dropping the glass orbs he used to count each ball in an over.

But he was so much more than a punchline. Yorkshire County Cricket Club yesterday recalled him as a “first-class cricketer for Yorkshire and Leicestershire, until his career was cut short by injury and he forged his role as an umpire”.

“Over a distinguished career, he officiated in 66 Test matches and 69 One Day Internationals, including three World Cup finals — earning the admiration of players and fans alike for his integrity, humour, and unmistakable style,” said the club.

“Dickie Bird became a national treasure, known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his eccentricities and warmth.”

Former Prime Minister David Cameron echoed those sentiments, adding: “Farewell friend,” while broadcaster Piers Morgan called him “the greatest and most legendary umpire in cricket history”.

Harold Dennis ‘Dickie’ Bird was born in April 1933 in Barnsley, Yorkshire, in an area where there were no fewer than 70 coal mines in a 15-mile radius. His father, James, who worked on the same coal face at Monk Bretton from the ages of 13 to 65, was determined his son would not do the same.