Most of the people who regularly follow Cricket will surely be familiar with Umpire Billy Bowden. He is from New Zealand. He is famous for his unusual and unique style of umpiring. As of now, he officiated in 200 ODIs, 84 Tests and 24 T20Is over a period of 20 years.

He is well known for entertaining the audience and the viewers with his unusual mannerisms like raising a crooked finger to announce a dismissal, the way of announcing a four and a six. Billy Bowden is said to be once a fast bowler while he’s in his 20’s. But unfortunately, he began to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis which forced him to give up the career as a player.

He then took up the job of umpiring because he loves the game of Cricket very much and it was his first love. His creative ways of signalling the boundaries, his entertaining mannerisms made the boring job of umpiring as a fun job. He is also the second youngest, behind only Simon Taufel, to officiate in a 100 One Day Internationals. He’s also one of the only 7 umpires who have stood in a 100 One Day Internationals.

Here Are 5 Things That You Must Know About Billy Bowden:

1. Secret Behind The ‘Crooked Finger’:

At the age of 21, he had to give up playing cricket due to his battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis. He cannot lift his index finger straight to signal a batsman out. Bowden’s style of showing ‘crooked finger’ has become famous which is also unique.

2. Bowden’s Dramatic Signalling Style:

Billy Bowden became famous for his eccentric signalling and he also added his own touch to several other signals such as the “crumb-sweeping” wave of the arm to signal four, the “double crooked finger six-phase hop” to signal a six, and the way he refers a decision to the third umpire made him the most entertaining umpire in the sport. His signals even vary with the format, orthodox style in Tests, flashy in ODIs and over-the-top flamboyant in Twenty20.

3. The Red Card:

Usually, a red card is seen in Football, isn’t it? But it didn’t stop Bowden showing the red card to the cricketers on two different occasions. Bowden showcased the red card in the first ever T20I between Australia and New Zealand against Glenn McGrath. It happened again when the Afghanistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad was appealing unnecessarily; Bowden showed him the red card.

4. Axed From The International Panel of Umpires and Referees:

The International Cricket Council’s elite panel dropped him from the panel in 2013, but he returned in 2014. He was again axed after the last test between West Indies and England in Barbados in May 2015. So, no more crooked finger flashes out on any batsmen.

5. Best Umpire:

Billy Bowden will be remembered forever not for his 200 Tests, 84 ODIs, but for his unusual yet entertaining mannerisms. He made the boring job of Umpiring look like fun. There is no replacement for Billy Bowden in the game of Cricket.