Aleem Dar breaks record for most Tests as umpire

Perth, Dec 12:  Pakistan's Aleem Dar on Thursday surpassed Steve Bucknor's record for officiating in most number of Test matches as an umpire during the first Test of the three-match series between Australia and New Zealand at the Perth Stadium.

Australia won the toss and elected to bat.

The 51-year-old, who took up umpiring after a decade of playing first-class cricket in Pakistan, is standing in his 129th Test match as on-field umpire since his debut in Dhaka in 2003 during England's tour of Bangladesh.

Bucknor officiated in 128 Tests and 181 ODIs between 1989 and 2009.

"This is one milestone I had never thought of when I began my umpiring career. It is a truly amazing feeling and a high point of my life when I take the field here in Australia; thousands of miles from where I started my international career at home in Gujranwala," Dar was quoted as saying by ICC.

"Steve Bucknor was my idol and it is only sinking in now that I will have officiated in more Test matches than him.

"In the nearly two decades of my international career, I have had the good fortune of watching some memorable matches and achievements like Brian Lara's Test knock of 400 not out and South Africa's epic chase of Australia's score of 434 in an ODI in Johannesburg in 2006," he added.

Dar has officiated in 207 ODIs and is only two matches shy of the record of 209 matches in that format held by Rudi Koertzen of South Africa. Dar has also officiated in 46 T20 internationals.