Bucknor has officiated in a record 126 Tests

West Indian Steve Bucknor, the most experienced umpire in international cricket history, will retire in March.

The 62-year-old's final match will be the one-day international between England and West Indies on 29 March.

"The body is feeling good and I know I could go on for two or three years," Bucknor told the Jamaica Gleaner.

"But something is telling me it's time to go," added Bucknor, who wants to help develop new umpire talent. "I'd still like to make a contribution."

Bucknor has officiated in a record 126 Tests, stood in 179 one-day internationals - including five consecutive World Cups - and was the first umpire to officiate in 100 Tests.

A high school mathematics teacher and a Fifa referee between 1985 and 1992, Bucknor has been on the panel of the world's top umpires since its inception in December 1993.

He made his one-day international umpiring debut in the match between West Indies and India at St John's, Antigua on 18 March 1989 and four weeks later at Kingston, Jamaica, he stood in his first Test between the same sides.

"Steve's contribution to our great sport over two decades at the top level of umpiring has been immense," said International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat.

"To have remained as one of the game's top officials for that length of time has required Steve to be self-motivated, confident and well respected, and he has all those qualities in abundance, while at the same time remaining a very humble man.

"We will pay Steve the tribute his outstanding service to the game merits once his final appointments have been completed.

"In the meantime I know that Steve, being the understated man that he is, will want to focus on the job at hand, that of getting things right on the field, something he has done as well as any other umpire in the history of the game."

A year ago the ICC replaced Bucknor with Billy Bowden for the third Test between India and Australia because of Indian anger at his mistakes in the second Test.

The Jamaican was guilty of two major errors against India that went on to have a major impact on the course of the match, which Australia won.

On the first day Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds was incorrectly given not out on 30 before going on to making an unbeaten 162.

And on the last day, India's Rahul Dravid was wrongly given out when he was battling to save the game.

Bucknor's final Test will be the third match between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town from 19-21 March.

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