Billy Bowden: Real story of the umpire's 'crooked fingers' that made his actions dramatic

Umpiring in cricket has not always been an entertaining job. Fans who have watched the sport over the years know that to give a batsman out, the umpire just needs to raise his dreaded index finger. But in 1995, the umpiring scenario changed and the man to do it was none other than New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden, who brought the “crooked finger of doom” to the table. The crooked finger went onto to be loved by cricket fans all around the world ever since. The crooked finger brought the entertainment factor to the boring job of umpiring. Bowden celebrated his 57th birthday on Saturday with fans around the cricketing world wishing him on social media.

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Billy Bowden fingers: The story behind the emergence of crooked fingers 

The reason behind the Billy Bowden fingers being raised in a crooked manner during dismissals was that the umpire was affected by rheumatoid arthritis, which ended his playing career. After his playing days were gone, Billy Bowden became an umpire in an effort to be involved with the game he so dearly loved. The pain caused by arthritis did not allow Bowden to lift his index finger straight above the head and that is how the "crooked finger of doom" was born.

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Billy Bowden fingers disease helped him bring a unique style to the fore

Billy Bowden brought his own touch to all the cricketing signals. The Billy Bowden six signal saw him take both his hands up with the crooked finger. On the other hand, for signalling a boundary, he used a sweeping action.

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Billy Bowden retired

While the Billy Bowden retired news is yet to be made official, the umpire was axed from New Zealand Cricket's international panel back in 2016. He was dropped from the International Cricket Council's elite panel in 2013, returned in 2014, but was omitted again after umpiring the Test between the West Indies and England in Barbados in May 2015. Bowden umpired his 200th ODI when New Zealand played Australia in Wellington in February 2016. The 53-year-old Bowden, who officiated in 84 tests and 200 ODIs over 21 years, was known for his eccentric signals, especially the crooked finger with which he indicated dismissals.

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