Asoka de Silva, Davis Promoted in Elite Panel

The Sri Lankan umpire Asoka de Silva and Steve Davis of Australia have been promoted to ICC’s Elite Panel, following the body’s decision to expand the pool from 10 to 12 umpires. Asoka de Silva, the former legspinner who played 10 Tests and 28 ODIs between 1985 and 1992, was one of eight full-time umpires selected for the ICC’s Elite Panel when it was first introduced in 2002. de Silva has stood in 33 Tests and 76 ODIs after making his debut in 1999 and has served previously on the Elite Panel between 2002 and 2004. Davis, 56, has stood in 11 Tests, 71 ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals having made his top-level debut in 1992. Their promotions are a result of perseverance, hard work and commitment and I am sure these two umpires will serve as an inspiration to the other international umpires who are striving hard to break into the Elite Panel,” Dave Richardson, the ICC’s general manager, said. “For Asoka, it will be his second time in the Elite Panel and he has returned after performing outstandingly on the international panel over the past 12 months.  Asoka brings with him a combination of playing and umpiring skills and that combination is one that we believe will serve him well in the months and years to come. Shabana, who won the World Open crown for the third time in December, is seeded to win the British Open for the first time. The 28-year-old from Cairo faces Italy’s highest-ranked player Davide Bianchetti in the opening round. All eyes will be on the sport’s rising star Ramy Ashour, the 20-year-old Egyptian who shot to second place in the world rankings last year in only his third year on the PSA Tour. The No 2 seed - who beat Shabana for the second time this year in last week’s Hurghada International final in his homeland - will meet England’s upcoming player Alister Walker, the 25-year-old world No 29 from Leeds.

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