Steve Bucknor: Over and out
Steve Bucknor, for 20 years the master of the long, slow decision, stands in his last international match tomorrow
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Steve Bucknor, for 20 years the master of the long, slow decision, stands in his last international match tomorrow. Cricket will miss him, writes Stephen Brenkley in the Independent.
To be given out by Steve Bucknor is death by torture. First the appeal, loud, prolonged, imploring. And then nothing. Only a tense stillness. Time is suspended. Packed stadiums freeze. The bowler grimaces in hope, the batsman tries not to look.
Bucknor's brain computes. Where did the ball pitch, how much did it move? Or could it have taken the edge? Was there a noise? Or a deviation? You can hear the cogs turn. He betrays no emotion. And then the slow nod. Usually, it is just one movement. Slowly comes the final blow, the raising, almost reluctantly of the index finger as if to say: "This is hurting me far more than it's hurting you. But sadly I have no choice."
However, life doesn't promise to get any less hectic for Bucknor, who's in big demand for football and track and field events back home in Jamaica. The Jamaica Gleaner has more.
George Binoy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo