Monday, December 20, 2010
  Longest serving cricket umpire: Dean Groves set world record
 ADELAIDE, Australia--Dean Groves, 81, retired at the end of last season after umpiring for the Adelaide Turf Cricket Association for 33 years, the Wide Bay Cricket Association in Queensland for 20 years and Adelaide's now-defunct Independent Central Cricket Association for two years; a career spanning 55 years which sets the world record for the Longest serving cricket umpire.

  Photo: Adelaide retiree Dean Groves has been declared the world's longest-serving cricket umpire for a career spanning 55 years .Photo by: Sam Wundke (enlarge photo)

  "I would take annual leave and long service leave to umpire at the carnivals," he says. "I just loved it all so much. Being an umpire is unlike being a batsman or a bowler - you're involved in every single ball of the game."

   He has loved cricket all his life. At 25 he began umpiring junior cricket in the Adelaide parklands and went on to umpire district-level games in South Australia and Queensland.

   The World's Longest serving cricket umpire says "pretty good health" is the key to staying on for so long.

   "[But] 55 years is a long while out there and I've seen an awful lot."

   Groves has watched cricket change over the years and there is one thing he does not like.
  "The referral system I don't agree with. I mean the umpire's given the chance to go for the third umpire if they wish," he said.

  Groves has been named the world's most durable cricket umpire by The Guinness World Records.

  The Guinness world record for the most durable cricket scorer was set by Mike Garwood (UK, b. 24 February 1928), who has been keeping score regularly for Old Minchendenians Cricket Club, Southgate, UK, for 50 years.

  Guinness World Records also recognized the longest individual net session, which lasted for 24 hours and was completed by Stephen Speak (USA) at St Mark's School, Downey, California, USA.

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  Related world records:
  Longest cricket match - Blunham Cricket Club

   Highest cricket score in one-day match - Olly Hardaker

   Longest croquet game - Adams players

   Highest cricket score in one-day match - Olly Hardaker

  Monday, December 20, 2010