SYDNEY: Pakistan’s most celebrated umpire Aleem Dar and Marais Erasmus of South Africa will officiate in the first Ashes cricket Test between Australia and Engl­and, which begins at The Gabba in Brisbane on Nov 23.

Aleem will also stand in the second Test in Adelaide, with New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney, while Eras­mus with team up with Gaff­aney for the third Test in Perth.

Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena will umpire the last two Tests of the five-match series, joining India’s Sundaram Ravi for the fourth Test in Melbourne and then Joel Wilson of the West Indies for the final clash in Sydney.

Ex-West Indies captain Richie Richardson has been appointed match referee for the first three Tests while ex-Sri Lankan skipper Ranjan Madugalle is given the job for the last two matches.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2017