5 cricketers who went on to become match referees

The role of a match referee is to ensure that the game of cricket is played in the right spirit and to administer discipline issues on and off the field. Cricketers dread facing a match referee after the game be it for disciplinary issues, slow over rates or for a warning for some issue which would have taken place during the match.

Some cricketers take up the role of a match referee after calling it a day from international cricket. Here is a look at 5 such cricketers:

#5 Clive Lloyd

Clive Lloyd was indeed an inspiration for many generations of cricketers from the West Indies. Lloyd was the captain of one of the best teams to have played the game of cricket during 1970s and 1980s. Be it youngsters or well established cricketers, Lloyd inspired one and all and led West Indies to many famous victories during his tenure as a captain including leading victories in the 1975 and the 1979 editions of the World Cup.

It was no surprise that he earned respect from the entire cricket fraternity as a match referee too after he retired from the game in the year 1984. The left hander officiated as a match referee in 53 Tests, 133 ODIs and 2 T20 internationals between 1992 and 2007. Lloyd, till date, is considered to be one of the sharpest cricketing brains to have played the game of cricket.

#4 Chris Broad

Chris Broad is famous for his 3 centuries on the 1986 Ashes

Chris Broad is famous for his heroics in the 1986 Ashes where he scored 3 consecutive Test hundreds in 3 Tests. The left-handed opening batsman had a brief but successful career for England as he averaged 39.55 in 44 Test innings and 40.03 in 34 ODIs. He was an aggressive batsman who liked to attack the bowlers from the first ball he faced and that was probably the reason which led to a shortened career.

Though he played only 25 Test matches and 34 ODIs for England, he has been on the ICC match referee panel since 2003. In a time span of more than 14 years as a Match Referee, Chris Broad has officiated in 461 international matches (93 Tests, 294 ODIs and 74 T 20 internationals). Chris Broad continues to be a prominent member in the panel of ICC match referees even today.

#3 Roshan Mahanama

Roshan Mahanama was a prominent member of the 1996 World Cup winning squad.

During his playing days, Roshan Mahanama was an aggressive batsman and a dynamic fielder. He was a vital member of the Sri Lanka team which won the 1996 World Cup. A bad run in the 1999 World Cup saw Mahanama being dropped from the national team and was never selected to play for Sri Lanka again.

The dashing right handed batsman played 52 Tests and 213 ODIs for Sri Lanka. He made his debut as a match referee in the year 2004 and was a successful match referee till he retired from the post in 2015 in order to spend more time with his family. Mahanama officiated in 318 international matches in a 11 year career as a match referee.

#2 Javagal Srinath

Javagal Srinath was the most successful fast bowler to have played for India after Kapil Dev

Javagal Srinath is undoubtedly one of the best fast bowlers to have played cricket for India after the retirement of Kapil Dev. He was the leader of the Indian pace attack in the 1996, 1999 and 2003 editions of the World Cup. The right-arm fast bowler from Mysore was the only bright spot as far as fast bowlers were concerned for India in 1990s. He spearheaded the Indian pace attack for almost a decade. Srinath picked up 236 wickets in 67 Tests and 315 wickets in 229 ODIs.

After retiring from the game in the year 2003, Srinath made his debut as a match referee in 2006 and till date is a prominent and a well respected match referee having officiated in 309 international matches.

#1 Jeff Crowe:

Jeff Crowe is one of the most respected match referees in international cricket today

Jeff Crowe, the former New Zealand skipper and the younger brother of Martin Crowe, has been on the ICC Match Referee Panel since the year 2004 and continues to be till date.The younger of the Crowe brothers, captained New Zealand in 6 Tests and represented New Zealand in 39 Tests and 75 ODIs. As a match referee, Crowe has officiated 85 Tests, 267 ODIs and 80 T20 internationals till date.