Cricket umpire Cliff D’Souza officiates in 800th game

A popular local cricket umpire has racked up an astonishing amount of consecutive games in what he calls “the best seat”.

Umpire Cliff D’Souza during his 800th game on Saturday.

The more he thinks about it, the more certain Cliff D’Souza is that he was destined to be a cricket umpire.

As a youngster playing cricket in India, he would often lend support to the umpires.

“My friends remind me, ‘Cliffy, you always ran to help out the umpires’,” he says.

But it wasn’t until he was 28 did D’Souza join the umpiring ranks.

He was still playing cricket at the time but soon found himself also umpiring on Sundays.

“My mate’s son was playing and he said, ‘what are doing on Sundays?’, “ he said.

“He said ‘they don’t have an umpire…why don’t you come along’.”

That was 1991 and D’Souza has been umpiring non-stop ever since.

On Saturday, he did his 800th game as an umpy when he stood in the Cricket Southern Bayside Division 1 game between Parkdale and Brighton District.

Umpire Cliff D’Souza (right) during his 800th game on Saturday.

Fittingly, the game was at Gerry Green Reserve in Parkdale — the same ground where he umpired his very first game all those years ago.

He loves it and is rightly proud of his record.

“I’ve not missed a single season and every year I’ve done a grand final,” he said.

“It’s the best seat where you are. You get to see some of the best action.”

D’Souza, who describes himself as a bit of a larrikin, says he enjoys the banter with players and loves having a laugh.

He grew up in India and as well as being a cricketer he was a regional hockey player.

“I came here 32 years ago,” he said.

“The way our culture is here in this country is the best in the world.

“I always tell people, what we have no one touches it. No one touches the mateship we have. No one in the whole world.’’

Cliff has no plans to retire, and intends to aim for 1000 games.