LEADING Zimbabwe cricket umpire Langton Rusere continues to put the country’s flag on the map as the ICC international panel member is officiating in the ongoing ICC Test Championship series in South Africa.
Rusere is joined by Australia's Paul Reiffel in the first Test match between South Africa and India in the Asian side’s tour at SuperSport Park Stadium in Centurion, Gauteng.
The 38-year-old sits on the Emirates ICC International Panel of Umpires together with his understudy, Iknow Chabi, Foster Mutizwa and Chris Phiri as the only Zimbabweans in that illustrious panel.
Rusere is however the only Zimbabwean on the Test Emerging Panel in the world. (one of four guys in the world).
Rusere made history in April 2021 as the first black African umpire to stand in a Test match when he took to the field in the first Test match between Zimbabwe and Pakistan in Harare.
Prior to that, his only involvement in Test cricket was as a television umpire.
In 2018, the former Victoria High School student became the first Zimbabwean umpire to stand in a major international cricket tournament as an on-field umpire.
This was in the Women’s World T20 final between Australia and England in Antigua. He stood in that women’s final with South Africa’s Shaun George.
- Rusere enjoys his moments in the sun
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He had earlier in the tournament officiated in the semi-final between Australia and West Indies.
Rusere’s career got off in 2006 when he officiated national league encounters. He went on to make his professional debut in a provincial one-dayer three years later and his maiden regional gig was in South Africa’s provincial T20 competition in 2014.
Rusere’s first senior debut was in a match pitting Zimbabwe against India later in 2014 subsequently joining the ICC international panel of umpires.
He officiated at the 2018 World Cup Qualifier held in Zimbabwe and the U19 World Cup in New Zealand the same year.
