Richard Illingworth, Michael Gough and Richard Kettleborough to officiate WTC Final
The ICC confirmed that the English duo of Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth will be the two on-field umpires for the World Test Championship Final, with Richard Kettleborough acting as the TV umpire. Chris Broad, meanwhile, will be the match-referee for the one-off contest in Southampton.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) have announced the list of officials who will be officiating the World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand that will be played at the Ageas Bowl from June 18. England’s Michael Gough, who was one of the on-field officials in the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s, has been named as one of the two on-field umpires, while he will be joined by fellow Englishman Richard Illingworth.
Illingworth is one of the most experienced umpires in the Elite Panel, having officiated in 75 Tests, and last officiated in the series between West Indies and Bangladesh, where he became the first neutral umpire to officiate in an international game in the post-pandemic era. The duo will be joined by Richard Kettleborough, who will serve as the TV Umpire for the contest, with former English cricketer Chris Broad serving as the Match Referee.
“Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees will oversee the proceedings while Richard Illingworth and Michael Gough of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires will be the on-field officials for the match. Richard Kettleborough, also a member of the elite panel, will be the TV umpire, and Alex Wharf of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Umpires the fourth official,” the ICC said in a release.
Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager (Umpires and Referees) expressed that the council were ‘fortunate’ for having three world-class, experienced officials overseeing what is seen as the biggest one-off match this century.
“We are pleased to announce an experienced team of match officials for the final of the World Test Championship,” Griffith said.
“It has not been an easy time with the pandemic, but we are fortunate to have a group of officials at the top of their field who have been consistent over the years in this momentous fixture. We wish them all the very best.”
Notably, Kettleborough has officiated in every Indian knockout defeat in the past seven years, starting from the final of the 2014 WT20. Unlike the previous instances, the 48-year-old, this time around, will not be an on-field official.