The ECB today paid tribute to First Class Umpire Russell Evans, who has died suddenly at the age of 52 after developing complications while undergoing a routine medical procedure.
A former county cricketer, he had served on ECB’s First-Class Umpires Panel for four years after being appointed to the Reserve List in 2011.
He also officiated in England Women’s One-Day International and T20 International cricket and had recently been appointed as the First Class Umpires’ representative to the Cricket Discipline Commission.
His cricketing career included a seven-year spell with his native county, Nottinghamshire, between 1985 and 1992 and he subsequently represented Lincolnshire and the Minor Counties representative team.
Before taking up umpiring, he had spent over 20 years working in cricket bat and equipment manufacturing as a Marketing Manager.
More recently, he had helped set up a new bat-making company, B3, based in Nottinghamshire.
Chris Kelly, ECB’s First Class Umpires Manager, said: “This is terribly sad news for all Russell’s many friends and colleagues within our professional game.
“Russell had fulfilled a long-cherished dream by becoming a First Class Umpire and was already showing the potential to take his new career to an even higher level.
“His diligence, professionalism and attention to detail all won him huge respect among his fellow umpires and no task was too big or small for him. He will be greatly missed and we send our deepest sympathies to his family at such an untimely loss.”