Quote:[size=12pt]Dickie Bird will ring the five-minute bell before the start of play in the first England v New Zealand Investec Test match at Lord’s on Thursday.

The 82-year-old becomes the first ever international umpire to be given the honour, and will join Sir Ian Botham, Brian Lara and Kapil Dev on the list of bell ringers.

Bird - who was a batsman - represented Yorkshire and Leicestershire during an 11-year playing career and went on to become the best known umpire in world cricket.

He spent 23 years as an umpire, standing in 66 Test matches and 69 One Day Internationals including three World Cup Finals.

He made his final Test appearance at Lord’s in the draw between England and India in 1996.

Since retiring, Bird has been appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (1986) and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He is also President of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Derek Brewer, MCC Chief Executive, said: “The ringing of the five-minute bell at Lord’s is a great tradition and it’s fitting that Dickie Bird is the first to do the honours this summer.

"He is hugely popular figure with cricket fans worldwide and I’m delighted that Dickie has agreed to start the fantastic summer of international cricket we have coming up at Lord’s.”[/size]