Richard Kettleborough becomes fifth umpire to officiate in 100 Tests
Richard Kettleborough has joined an exclusive group of umpires after standing in his 100th Test during the World Test Championship fixture between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town.
2026-10-27
Richard Kettleborough has become only the fifth umpire to stand on the field in 100 men’s Test matches, reaching the landmark during the third ICC World Test Championship fixture between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The 53-year-old Englishman, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, joins an elite list headed by Pakistan’s Aleem Dar, who has officiated in 145 Tests. Steve Bucknor of the West Indies is second on 128, while New Zealand’s Rod Tucker and South Africa’s Rudi Koertzen completed 102 and 108 Tests respectively.
Kettleborough expressed his appreciation to the International Cricket Council, the England and Wales Cricket Board and his fellow match officials for the support he has received throughout his career. He also paid tribute to his family, including his late father and aunt, and dedicated the achievement to his children, Millie, Jack and Alfie, and other loved ones.
His international umpiring journey began in 2009, when he stood in a Twenty20 International between England and Australia at Old Trafford. Kettleborough took charge of his first Test in Galle in November 2010, officiating in the match between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
Before moving into umpiring, Kettleborough played 33 first-class matches for Middlesex and Yorkshire in the English County Championship between 1994 and 1999. He joined the ECB’s panel of umpires in 2006 and was appointed to the Emirates ICC Elite Panel in May 2011, becoming its youngest member at that time.
In addition to his 100 Tests, Kettleborough has officiated in 114 men’s One-Day Internationals and 46 men’s T20 Internationals. His international record also includes four Women’s ODIs and four Women’s T20Is, underlining the breadth of his work across the global game.
Kettleborough has been a regular presence at major ICC tournaments for more than 15 years. He has officiated at the men’s Cricket World Cups in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023, including the finals in 2015 and 2023.
His global event record also features the men’s T20 World Cups in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2026, with final appointments in 2014 and 2021 and a television-umpire role in the 2024 final. He stood at the Champions Trophy tournaments in 2013, 2017 and 2025, including the 2017 final, and served as TV umpire in both the 2021 and 2023 World Test Championship finals.