Billy Bowden was left out of New Zealand Cricket's international panel of umpires after standing in 84 Tests and 200 One-Day Internationals in a major revamp of the nation's umpiring ranks.He now finds himself in the national panel former first-class players Shaun Haig and Chris Brown have been promoted, along with Wayne Knights.

Confirming the same , Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri, NZC's new match officials manager, said on Thursday - 

“

It's a massive opportunity for the guys and they deserve it based on their umpiring performances over recent seasons.

”

Bowden's last appearance was during the Chappell-Hadlee series in Wellington in February earlier in the year, after he made his international debut against Sri Lanka in Hamilton in 1995. 

His Test debut had to wait an additional five years, but, he was among the audience favourites on the ICC's elite panel due to his eccentric mannerisms.

He was later dropped from the elite panel in 2013, but following the retirement of Tony Hill in the subsequent year, he was reinstated. 

That was to last only an additional year as he was left out in May 2015 after officiating his 84th Test between England and West Indies in Barbados. However, him being on New Zealand's international panel meant he could still officiate international matches.

With him now only being a member of the national panel, which is believed to be a result of the International Cricket Council expressing concern over the standard of umpires from New Zealand at the elite level, women's matches and domestic ones only are available for officiating.

NZC international panel: Chris Brown, Wayne Knights, Shaun Haig.

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