“I would have liked to stand in a Test, I thought I was good enough”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

New Zealand umpire Gary Baxter has announced his retirement from officiating in international cricket since he was “never going to get on the [ICC] elite panel”.

According to a report in stuff.co.nz, Baxter will officiate domestic games for another year before brooding over his future.

“At my age, I’m never going to get on the [ICC] elite panel now,” Baxter said. “I had a good stint, I thought the one-dayer I did in Hamilton between New Zealand and India in January was going to be my last. I mentioned it to [fellow umpire] Rod Tucker and, unbeknown to me, he organised for the New Zealand guys to sign a jersey for me which was really nice.”

Baxter, who has officiated 38 ODIs and 16 Twenty20 Internationals since 2005, admitted that it was “disappointing” not to have umpired in a Test match.

“I’m realistic, but it is still a bit disappointing. We had guys like Billy [Bowden] and Tony [Hill] on the elite panel so it was always going to be tough,” he said. “I would have liked to stand in a Test, I thought I was good enough, but a country the size of New Zealand was always unlikely to get three [on the elite panel].”