ICC reveals World Cup semi-final umpires

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ICC reveals World Cup semi-final umpires

KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 23, 2007 (AFP) - Umpires for the World Cup semi-finals have been announced by the International Cricket Council.

In Tuesday's first semi-final between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, at Jamaica's Sabina Park, the on-field umpires will be Rudi Koertzen of South Africa and Australia's Simon Taufel.

The TV umpire will be Daryl Harper, also of Australia, and the fourth umpire will be Pakistan's Asad Rauf with Mike Procter, the former South Africa all-rounder, the match referee.

Wednesday's second semi-final between champions Australia and South Africa will be under the control of experienced West Indies official Steve Bucknor and Pakistan's Aleem Dar.

New Zealand's Billy Bowden will be the TV umpire with England's Mark Benson the reserve official. Jeff Crowe, the former New Zealand batsman, will be the match referee.

An ICC statement said a decision on the officials for Saturday's final in Barbados would be made in due course.

The line-up for that match will be dependent upon the finalists, the ICC's policy of 'neutral' umpires meaning it is no longer possible for officials to stand in a match in which their own country is playing.

For example, were Australia - bidding for a third straight World Cup title - to reach the final, the 36-year-old Taufel would be prevented from officiating regardless of the fact that in November he won his third successive ICC Umpire of the Year award.

Koertzen, 58, set a new one-day international umpiring record on Saturday when he stood in his 173rd match during the Super Eights match between England and the West Indies in Barbados.

That beat the record set by David Shepherd of England who stood in 172 one-day matches before retiring in 2005.