Tainted Rauf, Bowden dropped from ICC Elite Panel

Pakistan's Asad Rauf, who is being investigated in the IPL spot-fixing scandal, and long-serving New Zealander Billy Bowden were on Tuesday dropped from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires after an annual review of their performance.

Rauf, who is being probed for allegedly taking expensive gifts from suspected bookies, and Bowden have been replaced by former Test cricketers Richard Illingworth and Paul Reiffel.

"The selection panel considered the overall performances of the umpires over the past 12 months when deciding which umpires would be offered contracts for 2013-14. In Asad's case, it is important to emphasise that the recent speculation linking his name to the IPL spot-fixing investigation was not considered during the selectors' deliberations," said Geoff Allardice, Chairman of the ICC Umpires Selection Panel.

Rauf, who has denied any wrongdoing, was earlier withdrawn from officiating in the just-concluded ICC Champions Trophy in London.

"It is exciting to see Richard and Paul promoted to the elite panel, but it is also important to acknowledge and appreciate the outstanding contributions of Asad and Billy over a long period of time," said Allardice.

Illingworth and Reiffel have joined Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Steve Davis, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Tony Hill, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford and Rod Tucker in the panel for the 2013-2014 season, commencing July 1, 2013.

Illingworth has been umpiring in international cricket since July 2010 and has so far stood in four Tests, 16 One-Day Internationals and seven Twenty20 Internationals.

Reiffel, who made his international umpiring debut in January 2009, has officiated in four Tests, 30 One-Day Internationals and nine Twenty20 Internationals.

Image: Umpires Billy Bowden and Asad Rauf

Photograph: Matt Roberts/Getty Images