International cricket umpire Billy Doctrove call it quits

Cricket umpire Billy Doctrove.

The Dominican national made his international umpiring debut in 1998, in an ODI between West Indies and England in St Vincent, and stood in his first Test two years later when West Indies took on Pakistan in Antigua.

Doctrove announced his retirement just days before a scheduled appearance in the ODI and Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan currently underway. He was forced to return home due to a death in his family where he broke the news of his retirement.

He revealed that he would retire for personal reasons because he wanted to spend more time with his family and that he had grown tired of the constant travel linked to international umpiring, which kept him away from his loved ones.

"After much consideration I have informed the selectors of my decision to retire," Doctrove said. "It has been an incredible 14 years for me as an international umpire and I have enjoyed every moment of it.

"It has been a dream journey and to supervise international matches which were played by many great players at iconic venues.

During his stint as an international umpire, he stood in 38 Tests, 112 ODIs and 17 T20 internationals, including the final of the ICC World Twenty20 between England and Australia in Barbados in 2010. He became part of the ICC's International Panel of Umpires in 2004 and was promoted to the Elite Panel in 2006.

Cricketers and officials across the globe have been heaping praise on a man considered one of the best cricket umpires in the modern era. Van der Bijl, the ICC umpires and referees manager, was quoted as saying that "Billy has been an excellent servant of the game and we thank him on behalf of the entire cricket fraternity for his outstanding contribution as an international umpire for 14 years. Billy is a very special man, with strong values, firm beliefs yet with an underlying gentleness and humour, and a great family man - a wonderful blend.”

The 57 year old Doctrove said he would not renew his contract when it expires at the end of this month, but he plans to remain active in umpiring within the Caribbean and is hoping to pass on his skills and knowledge of the game to younger umpires.