Bird immortal in bronze
Legendary cricket umpire Dickie Bird said he "never dreamed" of being immortalised in bronze as he unveiled a statue of himself in his home town of Barnsley, northern England.
The 74-year-old took the wraps off a scale model of a six foot statue which features him in his trademark flat cap and with upraised finger giving a batsman out, that will stand in Barnsley from October.
Replicas of the work will also be on display in Melbourne and Mumbai.
"I have umpired at four World Cup finals and I was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire medal) in 1986, but this moment is right up there with those," said Bird.
"Growing up in Barnsley, I never dreamed there would be a statue of me in the middle of the town."
He was not keen on the first model produced by sculptor Graham Ibbeson because it appeared too stern but said he was happy with the artist's 'second innings', remodelled to show Bird with a smiling face.
"Now Graham has got the stance just right, the Reebok trainers and my 'finger of fate' pointing in the air," Bird said.
School children from across south Yorkshire will help create the life-size Dickie Bird sculpture at a series of workshops this year.
Bird, who as a young cricketer played in the same Barnsley club team as future England batting great Geoff Boycott, had a modest first-class career with Yorkshire and Leicestershire.
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