Bowden and Bucknor to umpire Ashes opener

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) Billy Bowden and Steve Bucknor will be the umpires for England's first match of their Ashes defence against Australia later this month, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed today.

New Zealander Bowden and Bucknor from the West Indies will stand in the first test in Brisbane starting on November. 23.

They will share umpiring duties with South African Rudi Koertzen and Pakistan's Aleem Dar during the five-test series. Koertzen and Bucknor will stand in the second test in Adelaide.

New Zealand's Jeff Crowe will be the match referee for the first three tests, with Sri Lanka's Ranjan Madugalle in charge for the final two.

The same four umpires were used when England reclaimed the Ashes last year.

REUTERS SAM PM1905