International umpires announced for ICC Trophy Ireland 2005

The International Cricket Council today announced that six members of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires and six members of the recently constituted ICC Associate and Affiliate Umpires Panel will stand in the ICC Trophy Ireland 2005.

The high-calibre group of officials includes Tony Hill from New Zealand who will take to the field today in the Test match between England and Bangladesh at Durham.

The five other members of the Emirates International Panel scheduled to stand in Ireland from 1-13 July are Kevan Barbour from Zimbabwe, Billy Doctrove from West Indies, Krishna Hariharan from India, Asad Rauf from Pakistan and Sri Lanka's Asoka de Silva, who was formerly a member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires.

The other six umpires scheduled to have on-field duties are all on the 10-member ICC Associates and Affiliates Panel that was inaugurated in April 2005. They are Roger Dill from Bermuda, Trevor Henry from Ireland, Subash Modi from Kenya, Sarika Prasad from Singapore, Buddhi Pradhan from Nepal and Shahul Hameed from Indonesia.

All six of these officials also officiated in the ICC World Cup Qualifying Series Division Two event in Malaysia in February 2005 and their performances at that event helped earn them a place on the Panel.

ICC General Manager - Cricket, David Richardson, said it was a good opportunity for the appointed umpires to develop their experience.

"This event is a good opportunity for members of both the Emirates International Panel and the Associates and Affiliates Panel to gain some experience of officiating overseas in conditions that will be unfamiliar to many of them," said Mr Richardson.

"It will give these umpires an opportunity to demonstrate their ability and stake a claim for further international appointments."

The umpires will be assessed during the ICC Trophy with the top officials from the early phases selected to stand in the high profile matches towards the tournament's conclusion on 13 July.

Full list of ICC Trophy Ireland 2005 Umpires: