Bucknor eyes World Cup

Steve Bucknor was already looking ahead to officiating in the 2007 World Cup as he prepared to become the first umpire to stand in 100 Tests this week.

"I'm just trying to get to the World Cup in 2007," the Jamaican said in a statement on Monday, two days before he takes the field in Kolkata for the second Test between India and Pakistan.

"That would be the ultimate, to stand in a fifth World Cup in the Caribbean, where my career started. That would be tremendous."

Bucknor, who will be awarded golden bails by the International Cricket Council for reaching the landmark, will officiate the Test alongside Darrell Hair.

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"It means a lot to be the first umpire to reach this milestone of 100 matches because when I first started in the West Indies, I never dreamed I could get anywhere near that figure," said Bucknor.

"It's a tremendous feeling but I also know that it will easily be achieved by the other younger umpires after me, with so much international cricket now being played."

The 58-year-old Jamaican's first major match as an umpire was the fourth Test between West Indies and India in Kingston in April 1989.

Known for his lengthy deliberation before reprieving batsmen or raising the finger, he has been nicknamed 'Slow Death Bucknor'.

Widely respected, he has officiated in four consecutive World Cups, taking charge of the final each time. He is also the only official to have appeared in both cricket and soccer World Cups.

England's David Shepherd is the next most experienced Test umpire with 86 matches.

Bucknor said that the biggest change in umpiring over his career is the greater scrutiny of decision-making by television analysis.

"I think standards of umpiring are higher than they've ever been but we're also under greater pressure and scrutiny than before," he said.

"There's more pressure to make more decisions on things like lbws... where television replays can show a ball hitting the top of a stump.

"We all make mistakes and I have too.

"As human beings, we will make errors but we can only go on our instincts as umpires."