# Simon Taufel > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Simon_Taufel > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Simon_Taufel.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Taufel > Source revision: 1301117656 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Australian cricket umpire Simon Taufel Personal information Full name Simon James Arthur Taufel Born (1971-01-21) 21 January 1971 (age 55) St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia Bowling Fast-medium bowler Role Bowler, umpire Domestic team information Years Team 1990–1991 Cammeray CC Umpiring information Tests umpired 74 (2000–2012) ODIs umpired 174 (1999–2012) T20Is umpired 34 (2007–2012) WODIs umpired 7 (2000) WT20Is umpired 2 (2009) Source: ESPNCricinfo, 6 October 2012 **Simon James Arthur Taufel** (born 21 January 1971) is an Australian former [cricket umpire](/source/Cricket_umpire) who was earlier a member of the [ICC Elite umpire panel](/source/ICC_Elite_umpire_panel). He won five consecutive [ICC umpire of the year](/source/David_Shepherd_Trophy) awards between 2004 and 2008, and is widely regarded as one of the top 10 greatest umpires of all time.[1] He announced his retirement from international cricket on 26 September 2012, after the [2012 ICC World Twenty20](/source/2012_ICC_World_Twenty20) final. [2][3] He subsequently worked as the ICC's Umpire Performance and Training Manager until October 2015.[4][5] In 2020 he joined the [Channel Seven](/source/Seven_Sport) commentary team as an expert commentator for the 2020/21 test series.[6] ## Playing career Taufel played for Cammeray Cricket Club in the Northern Suburbs Cricket Association as a fast-medium bowler. After the 1990–1991 season he won the club's [best and fairest](/source/Best_and_fairest) award, was leading wicket-taker and had the lowest bowling average in the association.[7][8] His career was cut short by a back injury.[9] ## Umpiring career Despite initially having no intention of becoming an umpire, he agreed to go along with a friend to an umpiring course. After he passed the subsequent exam he began umpiring grade cricket. He quickly progressed through the ranks and made his [first-class](/source/First-class_cricket) debut in 1995, aged just 24. ### International cricket Taufel stood in his first [One Day International](/source/One_Day_International) (ODI) on 13 January 1999 in the match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Sydney when he was 27 years old. He umpired his first Test match in December 2000 – the Boxing Day Test between Australia and West Indies at Melbourne. He became a member of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires in 2002.[10] He was chosen to umpire at the 2003 [Cricket World Cup](/source/Cricket_World_Cup).[11] Taufel has been named the top umpire of the year five times, and in August 2006 the ICC's annual umpire review officially ranked second for accuracy (behind [Darrell Hair](/source/Darrell_Hair)), and top overall. He umpired in the final of the 2004 [Champions Trophy](/source/ICC_Champions_Trophy). At the 2006 Champions Trophy he umpired a semi-final, but could not umpire the final because Australia had reached the final. In January 2007 he became the youngest umpire to stand in 100 ODIs, and in April 2007 took charge of the World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, again being ineligible for the final which featured Australia. He umpired alongside [Aleem Dar](/source/Aleem_Dar) in the final of the [2011 Cricket World Cup](/source/2011_Cricket_World_Cup) between [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lankan_cricket_team) and [India](/source/Indian_cricket_team), gaining the opportunity to do so after Australia were knocked out by India in the Quarter Finals.[12] On 3 March 2009, Taufel was one of the officials caught in the [attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team](/source/2009_attack_on_the_Sri_Lanka_national_cricket_team) by terrorists in [Lahore, Pakistan](/source/Lahore%2C_Pakistan). Taufel quit international cricket after the [2012 ICC World Twenty20](/source/2012_ICC_World_Twenty20) in Sri Lanka, at which he was umpiring at the time. He stepped down from cricket's elite panel of umpires to take over a new role as the ICC's Umpire Performance and Training Manager.[2] He resigned from that role in October 2015.[5] After retiring from international umpiring in 2012, Simon Taufel remained active in the cricketing world, taking on various officiating roles in domestic and franchise tournaments. Notably: **International League T20 (ILT20)**: In January 2025, Taufel officiated the opening match of ILT20 Season 3 between Dubai Capitals and MI Emirates. He also served as a match referee throughout the tournament, alternating with Roshan Mahanama.[13] **International Masters League (IML)**: In February 2025, Taufel returned to the field as an umpire for the inaugural International Masters League, a T20 tournament featuring retired cricketing legends. He led the umpiring panel alongside Billy Bowden, with Gundappa Viswanath serving as the match referee. The league took place from February 22 to March 16, 2025, across Navi Mumbai, Vadodara, and Raipur.[14] ## Accolades Taufel won the ICC Umpire of the Year for the first five years of its existence (2004–2008). His winning streak was broken in October 2009, when [Aleem Dar](/source/Aleem_Dar) of Pakistan won the ICC Umpire of the Year award. Taufel is the youngest person to have received the ICC's [Bronze Bails Award](/source/Bronze_Bails_Award) for umpiring 100 ODIs. ## See also - [List of Test cricket umpires](/source/List_of_Test_cricket_umpires) - [List of One Day International cricket umpires](/source/List_of_One_Day_International_cricket_umpires) - [List of Twenty20 International cricket umpires](/source/List_of_Twenty20_International_cricket_umpires) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Rating the 10 best umpires of all time](https://www.crictracker.com/rating-the-10-best-umpires-of-all-time/) CricTracker. Retrieved March 2024 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-retire_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-retire_2-1) ["Taufel to retire after World Twenty20"](http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/584040.html). *Cricinfo*. 26 September 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Wisden_India_3-0)** ["Mohali semifinal my most exciting match: Taufel"](http://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-news/mohali-semifinal-most-exciting-match-taufel/29697). Wisden India. 6 October 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Simon Taufel's comment on Training of Third Umpires"](http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/speednewsshow/22055948.cms). [Times of India](/source/Times_of_India). Retrieved 9 July 2014. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cricinfo_resign_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cricinfo_resign_5-1) ["Taufel to resign as ICC umpires manager"](http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/928699.html). *Cricinfo*. 14 October 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Seven releases full commentary team for Seven's Summer of Cricket"](https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2020/12/03/seven-releases-full-commentary-team-for-sevens-summer-of-cricket/). *TV Blackbox*. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-nsca1_7-0)** ["106th Annual Report and Financial Statement"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000202/http://www.northscricket.com/files/14/files/nsca_annual_report_2008_2009_draft_no_photos.pdf) (PDF). Northern Suburbs Cricket Association. Archived from [the original](http://www.northscricket.com/files/14/files/nsca_annual_report_2008_2009_draft_no_photos.pdf) (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2009. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-cammeraycc1_8-0)** ["Statistics"](http://www.cammeraycricket.com/). Cammeray Cricket Club. Retrieved 15 October 2009. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-cricketnext1_9-0)** Arora, Nishant (9 February 2006). ["Taufel puts on his exercising shoes"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110723153409/http://cricketnext.in.com/news/taufel-puts-on-his-exercising-shoes/5155-13.html). Cricket Next. Archived from [the original](http://cricketnext.in.com/news/taufel-puts-on-his-exercising-shoes/5155-13.html) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2009. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-icc1_10-0)** ["Emirates Elite Panel of Umpires – Simon Taufel"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091105172332/http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/the-icc/match_officials/panel_of_umpires.php). International Cricket Council. Archived from [the original](http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/the-icc/match_officials/panel_of_umpires.php#simontaufel) on 5 November 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2009. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [Simon Taufel : Australian Cricket Umpire Statistics](http://worldcup-cricket-2011.com/simon-taufel-australian-cricket-umpire-statistics/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110307003530/http://worldcup-cricket-2011.com/simon-taufel-australian-cricket-umpire-statistics/) 7 March 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["India v Sri Lanka: Taufel and Dar to umpire World Cup final"](http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/508857.html). *Cricinfo*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ANI. ["Simon Taufel to umpire in opening match of ILT20 season 3"](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/simon-taufel-to-umpire-in-opening-match-of-ilt20-season-3-101736262942556.html). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Billy Bowden and Simon Taufel are back as umpires"](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/sports/billy-bowden-and-simon-taufel-are-back-as-umpires-joins-gundappa-viswanath-in-international-masters-league/articleshow/118208234.cms?from=mdr). *The Economic Times*. 13 February 2025. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0013-0389](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0013-0389). Retrieved 17 March 2025. ## External links - [Simon Taufel](https://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/7918.html) at [Cricinfo](/source/Cricinfo) - [Simon Taufel](https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6429/6429.html) at [CricketArchive](/source/CricketArchive) (subscription required) - [ICC Umpires and Referees](https://web.archive.org/web/20060106050102/http://www.icc-cricket.com/umpires-referees/) - Tigerhall Podcasts, "[Be the Best: Habits and Mindsets for Top Performance](https://tigerhall.com/content/podcasts/be-the-best-habits-and-mindsets-for-top-performance)", "[Conflict Resolution at Work](https://tigerhall.com/content/power-reads/conflict-resolution-at-work)" and "[What Makes a Top Performing Team](https://tigerhall.com/content/power-reads/what-makes-a-top-performing-team)" v t e ICC Umpire of the Year 2004: Taufel 2005: Taufel 2006: Taufel 2007: Taufel 2008: Taufel 2009: Dar 2010: Dar 2011: Dar 2012: Dharmasena 2013: Kettleborough 2014: Kettleborough 2015: Kettleborough 2016: Erasmus 2017: Erasmus 2018: Dharmasena 2019: Illingworth 2021: Erasmus 2022: Illingworth 2023: Illingworth 2024: Illingworth --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Simon Taufel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Taufel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Taufel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.