07 February 2004	Saturday	15 Zilhaj 1424

LONDON, Feb 6: Aleem Dar will become a Test match umpire in April, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said Friday after promoting the Pakistani to its elite panel of officals.

Aleem, who is set to become a Test match umpire at the relatively young age of 35, is joined on the panel by Neil Mallender, the former England medium-pacer.

However, the ICC confirmed that following its annual performance review Sri Lanka's Asoka de Silva, South Africa's David Orchard and Zimbabwe's Russell Tiffin had all been dropped from the panel whose members alone are now allowed to stand in Tests.

The announcement came just a day after the ICC confirmed that experienced Indian umpire Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, the former India captain and off-spinner, was retiring from the panel.

"I'm very pleased to be given this opportunity. Making this panel was my aim and having made it to this level I will now be aiming to do my best," said Aleem, a former Lahore and Railways leg-break bowler.

Meanwhile Mallender, 42, who played two Tests for England, said: "I was quite shocked when I was told. To umpire at this level was my aim but it has come around sooner than I expected it would."

Both Aleem and Mallender face a heavy workload as, after Venkat's retirement, the number of umpires allowed to stand in Tests will have dropped from eleven to nine.

ICC elite umpire panel: Brent 'Billy' Bowden (NZL), Steve Bucknor (WIS), Aleem Dar (PAK), Darrell Hair (AUS), Daryl Harper (AUS), Rudi Koertzen (RSA), Neil Mallender (ENG), David Shepherd (ENG) Simon Taufel (AUS). -AFP