Chris Broad on Sunday became only the second ICC match referee to officiate in 200 ODIs when he took the field for the toss in the first tri-series final between Australia and Sri Lanka here. The 54-year-old former England opener made his debut in 2004 in Dunedin in an ODI between New Zealand and Pakistan. And now after eight years, Broad stands as only the second match referee after Ranjan Madugalle to have officiated in 200 or more ODIs. In addition to 200 ODIs, Broad has officiated in 51 Tests, which puts him third on the all-time list behind Madugalle (132) and Clive Lloyd (53), while his 41 T20s places him in second position after Madugalle (46), the ICC said in a statement. As an opener for England, Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire and Orange Free State, Broad played in 340 first-class matches, including 25 Tests, scoring 50 centuries (including six in Tests). In 34 ODIs, he scored 1,361 at an average of 40 with his only century being against New Zealand at McLean Park in Napier in 1988. “Obviously, I have an extra reason to be happy today. But at the same time, it is also an indication of the number of ODIs that have been played since I started my career eight years ago (1,180 ODIs have been played since Broad made his debut as an ICC match referee),” Broad said reflecting on his achievement. “There have been a number of people who have helped me reach the figure of 200, notably my family, friends, my fellow match officials and my colleagues at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the ICC. I have been extremely privileged to have these people around me throughout my career,” he added.
