Rob Bailey

Rob John Bailey aka Robert John Bailey is an England batsman turned Umpire who played for England between 1985 and 1990. Born on October 28, 1963, in Biddulph, Staffordshire, U.K., Rob was one of the finest batsmen of the team, however he was dropped from his team in 1990s after which he switched to being an umpire. He was a good cricketer, who scored 22,000 runs in 374 First Class Matches in which he played.

Early Career

At the age of 18, he played club cricket in South Africa which is where he improved his game. He made his first class debut for Northamptonshire against Sussex in Schweppes County Championship in August 1982. He made his ODI debut against Pakistan, during the Rothmans Four Nations Cup against Pakistan

Rob started as a cricketer, and made his debut in a Test match in 1988 against West Indies, his performance wasn't much good during the initial phases of his career, but he soon covered it up, thereby securing a place 1989-1990 tour to Caribbean. In 1990s his career saw a downfall when he played his last Test against Antigua where he scored 42, however, after this he didn't get to play much. He was also an off spinner and a good fielder. Towards the end of 1999, Northamptonshire didn't renew his contract due to which he moved to Derbyshire. He retired at the end of 2001 when he became an umpire.

He played four Test matches in which he scored in total 119 and his high score in Test matches was 43. He played four ODIs in which he scored 137 in total, 374 First Class matches scoring 21844 runs in total and 396 List A matches scoring 12076 runs in total. His highest in List A matches was 153.

Elucidating on his bowling career, in 374 First Class matches, he cracked 121 wickets, and in List A matches, in 396 matches he cracked 72 wickets.

Umpiring career

After his retirement from cricket as a batsman in 2001, he was appointed to join England and Wales Cricket Board’s Reserve List Of Umpires (ECB) and later was appointed to the full list of first class umpires for the 2006 season.

From 2011, he is a part of Emirates International Panel of International Cricket Council's Umpires (ICC).

He was named among one of the 17 on field umpires for 2018 ICC U-19 World Cup.

Stats

He has been an umpire in 12 ODIs and 12 T20 International matches. He has been an ODI umpire from 2011-2017

Controversies

It is rumored that he couldn't be a part of winter tour of India soon after his Test debut, despite his good performance, because he, and some other members were in contact with the then world cricket outcast South Africa. His visit to South Africa in 1982 acted as an impediment in his participation in the squad on tour to India.

In 1989, when he was offered to go to Mike Gatting’s rebel tour of South Africa however, he was the only player to decline it.

In one of the test matches, Rob was given out in a delivery by Curtly Ambrose in the second innings, and Vivian Richards threatened the on field umpire to declare Rob as out. Bailey returned to the dressing room and kicked the refrigerator there breaking toe of his right foot. However he still managed to play in the fifth Test.