Recently retired ICC’s Elite Panel umpire Steve Bucknor wants to officiate in the forthcoming IPL matches in South Africa. “I am not yet being informed about it but yes, if invited, I shall certainly accept the invitation. I am keen to officiate in IPL”, he said from Jamaica.

Widely respected and instantly recognisable (with his characteristic of nodding gently before raising the dreaded finger), the 62 year old West Indian Bucknor has no ill-feelings now. He was removed by the ICC from officiating in the third Test between Australia and India in Perth after several contentious decisions contributed to India’s defeat in the second Test in Sydney in January last year. “That is history now and I don’t want to recall it now”, he said.

Umpire Steve Bucknor’s recent parting shot however launched a scathing attack on the Indian cricket board, claiming that it used its financial might to sack him from the Perth Test. “There is no ill-feeling”, he continued.

Former Test umpire Steve Bucknor also revealed he was the victim of racist abuse earlier in his career. “Nobody made me feel black on the field but I did get a letter in London saying ‘you black b******’ or ‘you n*****'”. The letter writer did not mention his name and therefore there was no point for me to complain to the ICC”. “You don’t want to talk about it but people write these things. You have to let these things lie. I grew up tough. I want to forget it now” ‘, he signed off.
Source – cricdb.com