Legendary NYSD umpire wins national Outstanding Services to Cricket Award for Officiating.
Albert Pagan’s first appointed match was in 1984 at the age of 55, when he stood at a game between Saltburn and Darlington RA. He attended classes tutored by Steve Oakey, and his successor Les Swalwell, under whose guidance he passed his umpires courses. In his typically modest fashion, Albert admits to being amazed at how few of the Laws of Cricket he had fully understood as a player.
Many of the current umpires across the North East are from his stable. Michael Gough (who has just been named the Professional Cricketers Association’s Umpire of the Year for a seventh consecutive year) entered the umpiring program under Albert. Additionally, Albert has been active in support of local and national umpires’ associations, and for years held administrative office in both groups.
Albert has made his mark nationally on the Laws of Cricket. He was instrumental in having the definitions of wides clarified, particularly with regards to prolific spinners of the ball.
Long before the likes of Kevin Pietersen launched the switch hit onto the world stage, Albert was helping to define the rules surrounding it. During his time umpiring players such as West Indian, Clayton Lambert, he pointed out to authorities that there needed to be clear explanatory notes regarding batsmen who change their stances from right handed to left handed or vice versa, particularly in relation to definition of wides. Again, changes to the law were made.
Incidentally, Albert was also the cause of the ECB changing its insurance cover for officials to accommodate people over 80 years of age. In his mid-eighties, Albert regularly stood, often twice a weekend, as well as in cup games and some junior county school matches, before finally hanging up his coat at the end of the 2017 season.
Upon winning the OSCA for Yorkshire, Albert was invited to go to Lord’s for the national awards in October, where he deservedly took home the national Outstanding Services to Cricket Award for Officiating. A welcome award to highlight an outstanding career.