Venkat, Jayaprakash to officiate in Australia-NZ Tests

The two Indian umpires on the ICC panel, S. Venkataraghavan and AV Jayaprakash are to officiate in two Tests in New Zealand next month. According to information made available to this correspondent, Venkataraghavan and Jayaprakash have been assigned to officiate in the Australia-New Zealand Tests.

Venkataraghavan has been posted along with New Zealand's Brent Bowden for the first Test match in Auckland (March 11-15) while Jayaprakash will officiate in the third Test with New Zealand's home umpire Steve Dunne at Hamilton from March-31 to April 4. The second Test at Wellington (March 24 to 28) will be umpired by Pakistan's Riazuddin and New Zealand's Dave Quested. The match referee for the Australia-New Zealand series is former England captain Mike Denness.