Harold “Dickie” Bird, the most beloved umpire in cricket history and the game’s first global officiating icon, died at age 92, closing a chapter on one of the sport’s most remarkable characters.

The son of a Yorkshire coal miner, Bird defied his roots after his father urged him at 14: “You are going to play sport for a living—you are not going down the coal mine.” He played 93 county matches for Yorkshire before becoming a Test umpire, standing in 66 matches from 1973 to 1996. Advertisement

Known for his white cap, ever-present sweater tied at the waist, and pocketfuls of ball counters and plasters, Bird was a calming presence in a volatile sport. He was quirky yet commanding, famously cautious with LBWs, and loved across generations—from Dennis Lillee to Javed Miandad, whom he often di

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