Col Egar dies aged 80

Cricket Australia the death of former Australian Cricket Board chairman and international umpire Colin Egar.

He died in Adelaide on Thursday at the age of 80 after a battle with illness.

CA chairman and fellow South Australian Creagh O’Connor paid tribute today to Egar’s life-long dedication and service to the game he loved.

“Col will be best remembered by cricket followers as an outstanding international cricket umpire who was involved in several historic moments on field,” Mr O’Connor said.

“But those of us who knew and worked with Col will also remember him with high regard for his selfless service to SA and Australian cricket as an administrator and volunteer, and as a manager of Australian touring cricket teams.

“He gave a lot to cricket and the Australian game is all the better for that”.

Mr O’Connor also paid tribute to Egar’s personal support of his own cricket administrative career and for his support of current CA deputy chairman and SACA director Jack Clarke, through his encouragement to both to take an interest in national cricket administration.

Egar was a pre-eminent figure in Australian cricket during the 1960s umpiring, in 29 of the 30 Tests held in Australia during the decade, making his debut in the famous Tied Test between Australia and the West Indies at Brisbane in 1960-61. Egar and Col Hoy stood in every match that series, earning the praise of West Indies captain Frank Worrell for calm and unobtrusive umpiring throughout the exciting series.