Patience and hard work pays off for Doctrove

Billy Doctrove © Getty Images

Last Friday's thrilling ODI between the West Indies and India in Trinidad not only sealed a series win for the home side but also marked a significant landmark for one of the officials in action.

The match was umpire Billy Doctrove's 50th ODI in the middle, an impressive achievement for the quietly-spoken 50 year-old from Dominica.

It made him the 26th official to stand in that number of matches but only the second from the Caribbean to reach the milestone after Steve Bucknor.

The occasion was marked by a post-match presentation, made by Emirates Elite Panel ICC Match Referee and former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, and it capped an outstanding couple of months for Doctrove.

In April he was promoted to the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, joining Pakistan's Asad Rauf and Mark Benson of England as the new faces among a top group that now numbers 10.

Paying tribute to Doctrove and his achievement of standing in 50 ODIs, ICC Umpires and Referees Manager Doug Cowie said it was a triumph not only for the official's excellence but also for his patience and perseverance.

"Billy is a good model for any aspiring umpire to copy because he has been prepared to take his time, learn the business of umpiring and progress through sheer hard work," he said.

"That hard work has allowed him to build up confidence, perform impressively, earn his promotion to the Emirates Elite Panel and landmarks like this are the reward," added Cowie.

Doctrove, who stood in his first ODI in 1998, has more than just this landmark in common with Bucknor, the senior Caribbean umpire who has officiated in 144 ODIs and 111 Tests dating back to 1989.

Both are former FIFA soccer referees and that sport is another of Doctrove's passions.

He is a diehard fan of English side Liverpool and has the nickname "Toshack" after the club's former striker who now manages the Wales national team.

And Liverpool gave Doctrove another reason to smile earlier this month thanks to its victory in the FA Cup final against West Ham United and its third-placed finish in the FA Premiership which confirmed qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League.

Further details of the ICC's role in umpiring can be found here