Former England pace bowler Alex Wharf, who played 13 ODIs for England, made his Test debut as on-field umpire in the third Test here at Headingley on Wednesday. He is known for his man-of-the-match performance against India on his ODI debut in 2004.
Wharf, a right-arm pacer, who took 18 wickets for England, had served as the fourth official in the World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand in Southampton in June.
He has already officiated as on-field umpire in eight ODIs and 26 T20 Internationals. He has also served as TV umpire in one ODI and three T20 Internationals. Interestingly, Wharf made his ODI debut against India back in 2004 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham and won the man-of-the-match award for his haul of 3/30.
He had removed India's top order batsmen - skipper Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid - to help England skittle out India for 170. Host England won that match by seven wickets.
Wharf played two more ODIs against India in that series, taking 1/36 in the second ODI and 2/41 in the third match. Overall, he took 18 wickets in 13 matches with his last match in February, 2005 in Centurion against South Africa.
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His career-best haul was 4/24 against Zimbabwe in Harare in December, 2004.