Oxenford appointed to Elite Panel of ICC umpires

Bruce Oxenford will be replacing Simon Taufel on the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires from November 1, the ICC announced on Wednesday.

-Simon Taufel to quit umpiring after T20 World Cup

Taufel is all set to step down from the elite panel of umpires after the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, which runs until October 7, to take up the new role of Umpire Performance and Training Manager.

Oxenford is one of the 13 umpires on duty in the ongoing mega-event in Sri Lanka. He has been on the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires since 2007-2008.

The 52-year-old Oxenford has already umpired in eight Tests and 39 ODIs after having made his Test debut in Pallekele in a match between Sri Lanka and the West Indies in December 2010.

He stood in his first ODI in 2008 in a match between India and Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval, Canberra. He has umpired 12 Twenty20 Internationals to date.

Oxenford represented Queensland in eight first-class matches from 1991-1993 as a lower-order right-hand batsman and leg break and googly bowler.

In his brief eight-match career, Oxenford took 18 wickets and scored 112 runs.

Oxenford commenced his umpiring career straight after retiring from professional cricket and made his first-class umpiring debut in November 2001 by standing in a match between Queensland and New Zealand at Brisbane Cricket Ground.

ICC's Umpire and Referee Manager, Vince Van Der Bijl, congratulated Oxenford on his appointment to the elite panel.

"Bruce is a very experienced and respected umpire, and follows a long line of elite Australian umpires. He has been umpiring at the first-class level for well over a decade and is committed and dedicated to officiating.

"We are delighted to welcome Bruce, who will add his own brand of professionalism, energy and love of umpiring to the elite panel," said Vince Van Der Bijl.