New Delhi:
The New Zealand Vs England Twenty20 International series was an absolute classic, with England winning the deciding match at Eden Park Auckland by a super over to clinch the series 3-2. It was a series that saw plenty of twists and turns, with England winning the first match before New Zealand bounced back with wins in Wellington and Nelson. The Nelson victory gave New Zealand a 2-1 series lead before Dawid Malan's century and a record stand of 182 with Eoin Morgan helped England level the game in style in Napier.
It was during the game at the Saxton Oval where there was a revelation which made the rounds. It all involved around the fourth umpire, whose role requires him to perform duties like bringing on the new ball, carrying drinks on to the field for the umpires, checking the batteries in the light meter and observing the pitch during the lunch and tea intervals to make sure there is no interference.
During the Nelson Twenty20 International match, the fourth umpire was Garth Stirrat and according to a report in The Sun, Stirrat is a former porn star. The Sun reported that Stirrat was part of a graphic spread in a magazine. It also reported that the name he gave during filming is ‘Steve Parnell’. The New Zealand players were aware and told their opponents as well.
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Stirrat had to face a tough time when the revelation came out. He had been fired as the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Professional Golfers’ Association 10 years ago when his past came out in the open. However, the tolerance and openness showed by both teams and the match officials during the series against Stirrat shows the changing times in the world of sport which has been for the better.
