The cricketing world came together to bid farewell to the iconic umpire Dickie Bird, who passed away at the age of 92. A ceremony held in his honor was attended by a host of notable figures from the sport.

Among the attendees at St Mary’s Church in Barnsley, Bird’s birthplace, were former England players Michael Vaughan and Sir Geoffrey Boycott. Both cricketers, along with others, came to honor Bird’s remarkable contribution to the game.

Renowned for his presence on the field, Bird’s death on September 22 prompted a wave of heartfelt tributes. His career as an international umpire was illustrious, overseeing 66 Test matches and 69 One Day Internationals, including officiating three World Cup finals.

Today, former England captain Michael Vaughan was one of the many who gathered to pay their last respects to the beloved umpire, whose legacy in cricket will be remembered for generations.

Among those present to pay their respects today was former England captain Vaughan. 

After hearing news of his death last month, Vaughan had shared a farewell message on social media, noting that it was ‘such a sad loss’. 

‘Mr Yorkshire will always be remembered,’ he added. 

Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird died at the age of 92, Yorkshire Cricket Club confirmed last month

Former England captain Michael Vaughan arrives at St Mary’s Church, Barnsley, for the funeral service of former cricket umpire Bird

Fellow mourners included ex-Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon, and Bird’s close friend and former England batsman Sir Geoffrey Boycott who read a eulogy during the service.

‘I first met Dickie Bird when I was 15, at the time I was playing cricket for Hemsworth Grammar School,’ he said, before noting wryly: ‘He called me Gerald for years.’

‘Surprisingly with all the nerves he had as a batsman, he became a great umpire because he could channel all that nervous energy into good decisions,’ Boycott continued.

‘Dickie was refreshingly different. Eccentric but fair. It would be hard to find anyone who didn’t like him.’

In 2014, Bird was appointed president of Yorkshire Cricket Club, and was a regular visitor to county and international matches at Headingley. 

St Mary’s Church, Barnsley, plays host to the funeral service for Bird, who was born in the town

Fans left cricket balls among the floral tributes to the player by his bronze statue on Sunday

Ex-Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon and Chairperson of the England and Wales Cricket Board Colin Graves also paid their respects

The cortege drove through the streets of Barnsley before arriving for the service at St Mary’s

Close friend Sir Geoffrey Boycott read one of the eulogies and paid tribute to Bird’s humour

The umpire passed away peacefully at the age of 92 after receiving both an OBE and MBE

Last month Yorkshire and Durham held a minute’s applause after learning of Bird’s passing

He funded the Dickie Bird Players’ Balcony with £125,000 of his own cash, as well as offering financial awards to young players – with current England star Harry Brook among his beneficiaries. 

At his final Test match, between England and India at Lord’s in 1996, he received a guard of honour from both teams, before going against his stereotype by giving Mike Atherton out lbw for a duck in the first over to Javagal Srinath.

A fervent royalist who claimed to have met the Queen 29 times, he was made an MBE in 1986 and an OBE 26 years later, in recognition of his contribution to the sport.

Known for his good humour in his individual officiating style, Bird was deservedly referred to as a ‘national treasure’ in a statement shared by Yorkshire in the wake of his death. 

‘Dickie Bird became a national treasure, known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his eccentricities and warmth,’ the statement read.