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JOHN HOLDER
John Holder’s professional cricket career spanned from 1966-2010 as both bowler and
umpire. He was the first black umpire in the country, one of the first neutral umpires
to oversee a Pakistan and India match, and is an expert on the laws of cricket.
The fifth of six children, John was born in 1982, becoming a first-class umpire in the
Barbados in 1945. He began playing cricket following year, and officiating his first
as a young boy after his father taught him and test-match in 1988.
his siblings. Playing the popular sport at every
opportunity, John went on to bowl for his high “I missed first class cricket, so I returned as an
school, Combermere, where he honed his umpire. I loved umpiring; it was hugely
cricketing skills. satisfying and enjoyable. I was away from
home a lot because I travelled all over.”
“Cricket was a big game in Barbados. All six of
us played at every opportunity we got, and my John’s first international match as an umpire
aunt played as well,” John recalls, smiling at was a test between England and Sri Lanka at
the memory as we sit at his home in Rochdale, Lord’s in 1988. In 1989, he umpired four test
where he lives with his wife, Glenda. matches between Pakistan and India, a neutral
umpire so that neither side could be accused
In 1964, John came to England, working for of cheating.
London Transport after a drive to recruit one
hundred conductors, guards and station-men He went on to officiate in 11 Tests and 19
each month to the UK. one-day internationals, the last of which came
in 2001.
Set on playing professional cricket, John’s
career began when he began to bowl for “I’m a cricket fanatic, and the umpire has the
Hampshire in 1966, playing 47 first-class best seat in the house. I love all the little ploys
matches between 1968 and 1972. Moving to that the bowlers use, the skill of the batsmen
the North West in 1974, John also played and their mental ability to score runs; I love
professionally for Royton in the 1970s before to see that battle! I very much enjoyed being
moving to Norden. part of the entertainment and having a big
sway in what happens,” he laughs.
Once able to bowl at 90 miles per hour, John
retired from bowling after a back injury in In 2008, John became responsible for
monitoring and improving the performances
of umpires as the ICC’s regional umpires’
John (back row, third from left) with his Hampshire teammates in 1969
performance manager for the Americas and
Europe.
After retiring from the sport, John became
involved with the local Rotary International
club, one of the world’s largest and most
successful global membership and
humanitarian service organisations, going on
to serve as president for the Rotary Club of
Rochdale in 2016/17.
Photo: Michelle Kight
7 REAL ROCHDALE - SPRING 2020
