'88 Not Out!' - Britain's oldest cricket umpire Keith Dibb comes back for his 72nd season

Britain’s oldest cricket umpire Keith Dibb is back for his 72^nd season and has no plans of ending his career anytime soon. The 88-year-old has had a remarkable career ever since he began officiating in 1952. Dibb has officiated in 1,000 matches and is still going strong despite standing at the stumps for up to six hours during matches.

Dibb was a former medium bowler and he joined a local team in North Yorkshire at the age of 13 where he grew up. He began umpiring in 1952 because he was 11th in the batting order and hasn’t missed a season of cricket since. After he finished playing at the age of 47, he took up the role full-time and is still going strong despite his age.

“I’ve not got any fear of being hit by the ball because I can still move around fairly quickly. And I’m insured with the English Cricket Board for £15,000, so I’ve got the blessing from them,” Dibb was quoted as saying by The Mirror.

Talking about his early days behind the wicket for rural Hawksworth Cricket Club, in Leeds, Dibb said that he had to clear the cowpat so they could start playing.

“We started in a field with cows in the corner, and we had to move them off before play. I had a wheelbarrow and a shovel and I cleared the cowpat so we could start playing,” he added.

His late wife Margaret, who passed away at the age of 59, used to make the teas at the same club, and their children Nigel, 56, and Wendy, 54, both grew up playing the game.

Debb is friends with Dickie Bird

Talking about his wife, Debb said that she didn’t want their son to get into cricket.

“When my son was born, my wife said ‘don’t get him into cricket. But he followed me around when I played and was always playing with a plastic bat. My daughter always played cricket. Her mother was making teas and her father and brother played together. She didn’t want to be left out so she eventually joined a ladies team” he added.

Keith even got to know the legendary England umpire, Dickie Bird and attended his 90th birthday at Headingley Stadium in April. The duo had first met 15 years ago at Retford Gala in Nottinghamshire and had struck up a friendship after Keith offered to drive him back home.