Cricket: Dharmasena and Tucker to stand in final

Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena and Australia’s Rod Tucker will umpire the Champions Trophy final between England and India at Edgbaston on Sunday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Friday in a statement.

Dharmasena, the ICC’s umpire of the year for 2012, and Tucker were also in the middle for England’s seven-wicket semi-final win over South Africa at The Oval on Wednesday.

As was the case in that match, they will be backed up in Birmingham by Australia’s Bruce Oxenford in his role as television umpire.

But whereas former India fast bowler Javagal Srinath was the match referee at The Oval, the fact India are now in the final ruled him out of contention for the task this weekend, with the job given instead to ex-Sri Lanka international Ranjan Madugalle.

England will be bidding for their first major one-day title on Sunday with India, who thrashed Sri Lanka by eight wickets in Thursday’s second semi-final in Cardiff, looking to add the Champions Trophy to the 2011 World Cup they won on home soil against the Lankans in a Mumbai final.

Champions Trophy final match officials

Jun 23, Edgbaston: England v India

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI) and Rod Tucker (AUS)

TV umpire: Bruce Oxenford (AUS)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)

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