WATCH: Chris Broad gets memento from Virat Kohli on 300th ODI as referee
Chris Broad became only the second member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees to serve in 300 ODIs
English cricketer turned official Chris Broad reached an honourable feat on Saturday. As he walked down for the toss in the 3rd Indian vs West Indies ODI in Pune, he became only the second member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees to serve in 300 ODIs.
The former left-hand English batsman became an elite match referee in 2004, a year after refereeing in his maiden Test in Hamilton, and has since refereed in all the ICC Cricket World Cups.
“I feel honoured and incredibly fortunate to be actively involved with the game for such a long period. 300 is not a number for me but a story of all those who have made contributions and sacrifices so that I can live my dreams and achieve my objectives,” said Broad.
To mark the occasion, Broad was presented a memento by Indian skipper Virat Kohli before the start of the match.
Congratulations to @ICC Match Referee Chris Broad for No. 300 pic.twitter.com/5x5oEEVgyX
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 27, 2018
With Broad becoming the second member, Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugalle is the first on the list with 336 ODIs under his belt. Even though Broad made his ODI debut as an official in Auckland in 2004, 11 years after Ranjan Madugalle refereed in his opening match in Karachi, the Englishman now trails the Sri Lankan by only 36 ODIs.
Jeff Crowe of New Zealand is third on the list with 270 ODIs, while former India fast bowler Javagal Srinath has officiated in 212 ODIs. Roshan Mahanama retired in 2015 after refereeing in 222 ODIs.
Broad is presently sitting on 98 Tests and will become the second referee after Madugalle to complete a unique double by reaching the 100-Test mark in the second Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Wellington in March 2019. Madugalle also leads Broad 92-89 on a head-to-head in T20Is.
A look at Chris Broad’s cricketing career:
He played 25 Tests and 34 ODIs for England between 1984 and 1989, scoring 1661 and 1361 runs, respectively. In 1986-87, he hit three successive centuries in an Ashes series to equal Jack Hobbs and Wally Hammond's record.
Besides 300 ODIs, Broad has also referred in 98 Tests and 89 T20Is. He will complete his century of Tests in the second Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Wellington in March 2019.
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