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Volume No. 1 Issue No. 53 - Tuesday January 06, 2004
Billy Doctrove: International Cricket Umpire
by Thomson Fontaine


The Dominican.net takes pride in highlighting the tireless efforts and soaring accomplishments of a Dominican cricket umpire and football referee Billy Doctrove.

Many Dominicans first took notice of the accomplishments of Billy Doctrove when in the summer of 2000 he became the first Dominican ever to officiate in an international cricket test match featuring the West Indies team versus Pakistan at the Recreation Grounds in Antigua.

The historic cricketing grounds where history was made just a few years earlier, when Brian Lara blasted his masterful 375 record setting runs, served as a fitting backdrop highlighting the crowning moment in the disciplined officiating career of Billy Doctrove.

doctrove That hot summer day in 2000, I was privileged to be an eye witness to the unfolding of history. I along with hundreds of Dominican fans crammed into the Recreation Ground stands cheered loudly as Umpire Doctrove walked to the middle to make history and to be literally tested in fire in what turned out to be a highly contentious match between two fierce rivals. Back home, thousands were clued to their television sets rooting for their local hero.

Every decision made was closely watched and monitored. We held our collective breaths, watched the replays anxiously and breathed deep sighs of relief when he got it right. It was as if the whole cricketing future of Dominica was resting on his shoulders. This was indeed some unforgettable moments.

For those of us who love the game of cricket, every umpiring decision can be questioned. Was the batsman really LBW or was the ball barely missing the off stumps. Was that really a deflection from the bat or ball hitting pad, and on and on. I could only guess at the tremendous pressure under which Umpire Doctrove performed his duties having to concentrate ball after ball, over after over, in the blistering Caribbean heat. In the end, the West Indies won the match, and Umpire Doctrove walked off a true winner proving that his successful and patient rise to the top was well deserved.

A really good cricketing umpire is one who is patient, honest, judges fairly, is cool under pressure, and above all knows the rules of the game. One �mistake� by an umpire can cost a team a match, such is the tremendous sway that umpires hold over the game. These attributes are to be found in abundance with Umpire Doctrove as his rise to the very top of the cricketing world bears testimony.

It was a journey that took well over twenty-five years and in which he demonstrated a love for sports, the youth of Dominica and his country. Just two years after this memorable day in Antigua, he was appointed to the International Cricket Council�s (ICC) international panel of umpires, an elite group of cricketing empires from around the world who officiate at the top cricketing events. In December of 2003, he was the only Caribbean umpire to be named to officiate in the Cricket Youth World Cup Scheduled for Bangladesh in 2004.

Himself a keen sportsman, Doctrove joined the Dominica Umpires Association in 1975. Sixteen years later, in 1991 he officiated in his first 1st class match featuring the Windward Islands versus Jamaica. In 1998 he was called to international duty when he stood in the One Day International match in St Vincent between England and the West Indies.

Doctrove�s outstanding career in officiating in cricket can be matched to some extent by his involvement as a top football FIFA referee. In 1976, he joined the Dominica referees association and became an official international FIFA referee in 1995. One year later he became the first Dominican to officiate in a soccer World Cup match doing the honors in a qualifier between Grenada and Guyana. In 1998 however he retired as a FIFA referee to more completely focus on his duties as a cricket umpire.

His tireless voluntary service to Dominican sports was recognized at the highest level when in November of 2000 he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by the government of Dominica for his outstanding contribution to the development of Sports in Dominica.

For those of you who are none cricket fans, let me add this. Cricket is one of the most beautiful games known to man. Only a select few ever really go on to master the game and for those who do, it is a thing of beauty to observe them in action. The game is still largely confined to the former British territories, and is played at the highest test match level in Australia (current world champions), India, Pakistan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and the Caribbean Islands.


Comments about this article? Email:
editor@
thedominican.net
Telephone:
1-703-861-9411
Fax:
1-202-589-7937

Volume No. 1 Issue No. 53
Exploring a Better Future
Billy Doctrove: International Cricket Umpire
What the Caribbean Needs
Of Myths and Legends
Sanford Shines in Windies Loss




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