Legendary umpire Bird criticizes use of replays, technology in cricket

London, May 16(ANI): Legendary cricket umpire Dickie Bird, who received the Order of the British Empire from Prince Charles on Tuesday, has criticized the use of replays and technology to help umpires.

Bird enjoyed a 23-year career as an international umpire before stepping down in 1996. He was recognized for his sporting career and his charity work. He has established the Dickie Bird Foundation to help underprivileged youngsters.

Bird is remembered as one of the game's great characters and one of cricket's finest umpires. He said he misses umpiring.

"I do miss umpiring, but it's completely changed now, umpiring is done by a machine, in my era, we made the decisions on the field," The Daily Mirror quoted Bird, as saying.

"If umpires made a mistake in those days, people talked about it in the pubs, in the clubs, the press, the television, the radio - it was part of the game. Now, it's changed so much. I certainly miss it, but you cannot stop time," he added. (ANI)