Tributes from across the sporting and political landscape rolled in after the death of the cricket umpire Dickie Bird, at the age of 92. Bird, despite never having played a match for England, was, at his peak, instantly recognisable and transcended the game.
Bird stood in 66 Tests and 69 men’s one-day internationals, including three World Cup finals, and was much admired for his decision making, but it was the idiosyncratic way in which he officiated – with a grin, an obsession with incoming rain, and an eccentric flair – which made him such a fan and player favourite.
