Statement from ICC President David Morgan following the death of former umpire Nigel Plews

It was with great regret that we learned of the death of Nigel Plews, a top-class umpire who worked hard for the good of the game, both on the field and in the committee room.

Nigel made an enormous contribution to cricket through his deep knowledge and appreciation for the game, its laws and the way it should be played. He was an advisor to the MCC and the ICC on matters relating to laws and playing regulations and made many important contributions while sitting on various committees and working groups that have had a lasting and positive impact on the game.

At the time that he was breaking through to the top level of umpiring he was something of a rarity in that he had never played first-class cricket before becoming a match official.

But this did not hold him back unduly and having played and umpired club cricket in his native Nottinghamshire, Nigel’s talent as an umpire was spotted and he was selected onto the first-class panel in England in 1982.

He quickly established himself as a highly respected match official at county level and he was appointed to his first One-Day International in 1986 in a game between England and New Zealand at Old Trafford.

The step up to the higher level was one he took in his stride and in 1988 he was appointed to his first Test, a match between England and the West Indies, also in Manchester. In total he stood in 11 Tests and 16 ODIs before finally hanging up his white coat at international level at the end of the English summer of 1996.

Nigel was a true gentleman and a great friend to umpires and others involved in the game. At 6ft 6ins he was certainly a big man but through the contribution he made to the world of cricket he can truly be described as a giant.