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Englishman Chris Broad, who became only the second person after Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugalle to oversee 300 One Day Internationals as a match referee in the game between India and the West Indies in Pune on Saturday, says he is "enjoying my job as if it was my first day in the office”.
Broad, 61, who is in his fifteenth year as an international match referee says he “feels 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. On top of that list is my immediate family, followed by my England and Wales Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council (ICC) colleagues”.
He says his “passion” for the game is still there and he wants "to continue to do what I love most, and in the process, help as many people as possible. I am very lucky to have visited so many countries, meet people from different cultures and backgrounds, and build relationships. I have been part of some outstanding and edge-of-the-seat cricket, but the match that stands out for me is South Africa’s world-record run-chase against Australia in Johannesburg in 2006 when they scored 438 to win the five-match series on the penultimate ball with one wicket to spare”.
The ICC said that Broad, whose match referee Test tally currently stands at 98, will become only the second referee after Madugalle to complete a unique double by reaching the 100-Test mark in the second match of the series between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Wellington next March. Madugalle also leads Broad 92-89 in Twenty20 Internationals.
Those of us old enough to remember him playing will reminisce about a completely different era. No picking and choosing formats if you weren't good enough in one. You were either an international player or not. Also, county cricket was full of top overseas players earning their living and ordinary county players encountered these players on a daily basis, certainly not like facing some of the second stringers that are awash in the game now. I remember him making his Test debut against THAT Windies side, now, Burns will have a Sri Lankan side in transition. It's certainly a good time to be playing cricket.
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