Western Bureau: Jamaican umpire Steve Bucknor, who has stood in a record 126 Test matches and over 170 one-day internationals (ODIs), is to retire from Test cricket at the conclusion of the upcoming third Test match between South Africa and Australia, which will be played in Cape Town, South Africa, from March 19 to 23.

"I have notified the ICC that the South Africa versus Australia series will be my last Test series," Bucknor told The Gleaner prior to leaving the island on Friday for that assign-ment in South Africa.

"The third Test match in Cape Town will be my last Test match."

While admitting that he feels physically capable of going on a little longer, the 63-year-old Bucknor, who became an international umpire in 1989, has had a long and distinguished career, which includes officiating in a record five ICC World Cup finals.

time to go

"The body is feeling quite good and I know I could go on for another two or three years," said Bucknor, who has been an Elite ICC umpire since 2002. "However, something inside me is telling me that it is time to go."

The Montego Bay-born Bucknor, who was once a FIFA referee and is still a highly regarded football coach, will also be calling time on his involvement in ODIs soon. According to him, the two upcoming ODIs between the West Indies and England in Barbados will be his last such assignments.

"I hope I will be accorded the opportunity by the West Indies board to work with young umpires in the region because I still would like to continue making a contribution," said Bucknor, who has received several national and international awards for his service to cricket.

Bucknor, who is already penning his memoirs, hinted that he would like to continue umpiring at the local level, possibly in club, parish and schoolboy cricket, which he believes would be an ideal way to share the vast knowledge and experience he has gained over the years.

However, indications are that the sport of football, in which Bucknor has distinguished himself as a player, coach and referee, could well become the greatest bene-ficiary of the extra time he will have on his hands.

"I am already back at Cornwall College coaching the Under-16 team and soon I will be taking on the daCosta Cup team, as well," said Bucknor, who was the goalkeeper of the 1963 Cornwall College daCosta Cup and Olivier Shield championship team. "Cornwall has always been dear to me and I am only too happy to go back there to help."

Bucknor, who coached Cornwall College to daCosta Cup success in 1982 and 1983, also plans to return to mainstream football administration in St James. Having previously served as a vice-president on numerous occasions, he is now eyeing the top job.

"Prior to the last St James FA annual general meeting, several persons asked me to run for the presidency but I had to decline because of the travelling associated with cricket," said Bucknor. "Now that I will be retiring, I think I am ready to get back into football administration so I will be making myself available the next time around."

memories

In looking back at his near two-decade long career as a top umpire, Bucknor said it has been full of pleasant and cherished memories which he hopes to include in his memoirs.

"My fondest memory was standing in my first ICC World Cup final because it was really a dream coming true for me," said Bucknor

He also considers being the first black umpire to stand in a Test match in post-apartheid South Africa as another accomplishment because it allowed him to rub shoulders with his hero, former South African president and freedom fighter Nelson Mandela.

"Going to umpire in South Africa was very special because it was something that was endorsed by Nelson Mandela, who is someone I hold in high regard," said Bucknor. "Meeting Mandela was one of those special moments I will never forget."

Mandela