'Never imagined it would happen': Kettleborough on overtaking idol David Shepherd

Grenada, July 2 (IANS) Richard Kettleborough will become England’s most capped on-field Test umpire when he stands in the second Test between West Indies and Australia starting in Grenada on Thursday. The Sheffield-born Kettleborough, whose Test career began in Galle 15 years ago, will umpire his 93rd on-field Test and in doing so overtake his original mentor David Shepherd.

“It’s a big honour. I honestly never imagined it would happen, but I’m very proud of my achievements. To overtake the late, great David Shepherd – who was one of my idols growing up – is something I’m very proud of. I actually stood with ‘Shep’ in a County Championship game in 2005 at Scarborough. That was a great experience.

“I’d only been on the list for three years, but when I first started with the ECB in 2002, I was very lucky to have a lot of help from guys like David Shepherd, John Hampshire, Mervyn Kitchen, Peter Willey, and Neil Mallender. All those guys were a great help to me, and continued to be so in the years that followed,” Kettleborough told ecb.co.uk.

Only three men – Aleem Dar, Rudi Koertzen, and Steve Bucknor - have reached a century of on-field Test matches, and Kettleborough is within touching distance.

“I’ve always seen Test cricket as the pinnacle of the game - so getting to 100 on-field Test matches would be the ultimate achievement,” he added.

Australia won the opening Test against the West Indies by 159 runs. The game against the Indies could also mark the return of Steve Smith.

The veteran batter, who missed the opening Test of the ongoing three-match series against the Caribbean side with a finger injury, has recently had his stitches removed and joined up with his teammates in the Caribbean on Sunday.

--IANS

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