Cricket: Three NZers on World Cup duty

Three New Zealand officials will be on duty for the cricket World Cup which starts in the subcontinent on February 19.

International Cricket Council (ICC) elite panel umpires Tony Hill and Billy Bowden plus match referee Jeff Crowe have been appointed for the quadrennial one-day tournament featuring the world's leading 14 nations.

Hill and Bowden are two of 18 umpires appointed for the tournament, with Hill standing in five group matches in Sri Lanka and Bowden four in India.

Hill will control matches between Pakistan and Kenya on February 23, Sri Lanka and Kenya on March 1, Sri Lanka and Australia on March 5, Pakistan and Zimbabwe on March 14 and Australia and Pakistan on March 19.

Bowden's appointments are for games between India and England on February 27, England and Ireland on March 2, India and Ireland on March 6 and Australia and Canada on March 16.

The ICC will not make its appointments for the quarterfinals onwards until the group phase matches are completed.

Only one New Zealander has umpired a World Cup final, with Brian Aldridge on duty for the 1992 final between Pakistan and England in Melbourne.

- NZPA