Steve Bucknor - File Photo

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Julian Hunte is still not pleased with the International Cricket Council’s treatment of the region’s top umpire Steve Bucknor.

 

The 61-year old Jamaican official, who made several controversial decisions in the second Test in Sydney between Australia and India earlier this year, was replaced for the third Test, following an outcry by the India cricket board.

 

Hunte criticised the move and sought an explanation from the world governing body for the sport but said he was yet to get a response.

 

“When Steve Bucknor, our premier regional umpire, was removed and replaced during the India-Australia series, I wrote to the ICC asking for information, essentially the reasons why the ICC acted as it did,” Hunte said.

 

“I said at the time that the ICC was setting a dangerous precedent but that before we took a decision on the matter we needed to know more. So far, I have not received the information I sought and I consider this an insult to the WICB which is a full-member of the ICC.”

 

Bucknor was replaced by New Zealand’s Billy Bowden, a move that allowed the tour to proceed as normal, after fears India would pull out.

 

ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said at the time they felt it was in the best interest of the game that Bucknor stood down.

 

Hunte is scheduled to leave the Caribbean Thursday for an ICC executive board meeting which takes place in Dubai from March 16-18.

 

CMC kp/08