Steve Randell

Steve Grant Randell is a former professional cricketer and an international umpire of Australian origin. He was born on 16 September 1956 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. He was the first ever umpire to come from Tasmania.

He also served as a school teacher with the Tasmanian Education Department.

Early career

Randell did not play cricket at the grandest stage of them all, but he was quite popular in the domestic and club circuit. He played as a Left handed batsman for the team of South Hobart and also Sandy Bay clubs.

Umpiring career

Steve Randell made his debut as an umpire at the first class level in 1980-81 at an age of just 24 years. He made his debut at the international level four years later when he officiated in a Test match between Australia and West Indies on 24 October at the Melbourne Cricket ground.

After ICC had introduced the policy of keeping an umpire from non-participating country in every Test match, Randell did not get many opportunities to umpire in test matches involving Australia. His last match involving Australia was against South Africa between 30 January to 3 January, 1998.

Stats

Between 1984 and 1988, Randell umpired in a total of 88 One Day International matches. He also umpired in one Women's ODI in 1991. He umpired in 36 Test matches between 1984 and 1988, which was the highest number by an Australian Umpire at that time.

Controversy

Randell's career saw a huge controversy. In 1999, he was charged with sexual assault of 9 different school girls. He was eventually convicted in the Tasmanian Supreme Court in August 1999 of 15 counts of sexual assault on 9 school girls between 1981 and 1982. He was sentenced to a term of 4 years in Jail.

Retirement

Randell's teaching as well as his umpiring career ended with his conviction. He was just 38 and had a long career in front of him. His last test match was between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at Harare on 21 to 25 March 1998. He umpired in 119 first-class matches between 1980 and 1998.