David Myrton Archer (20 August 1931 – 24 October 1992) was a West Indian cricketer and umpire. He played first-class cricket for the Windward Islands but is best known for officiating in 28 Test matches in the West Indies from 1981 to 1992.
Career Born in Barbados, Archer was a right-hand batsman and slow left-arm bowler. He is famous for taking 17 wickets in a club match in Barbados, including all ten in one innings. He made three first-class appearances for the Windward Islands. The first came against the touring Australians of 1964–65, when batting at number eleven he scored 11 not out and bowled 10 wicketless overs conceding 50 runs.Windward Islands v Australians, 1964-65, CricketArchive, retrieved on 18 January 2009. He played a single match in each of the following two seasons without great success.
Archer took up umpiring, and in February 1976 umpired his maiden first-class game, between Barbados and Jamaica.Barbados v Jamaica, Shell Shield 1975/76, CricketArchive, retrieved on 18 January 2009. Five years later he made the step up to international level in a One Day International between England and the West Indies. Later on during England's tour he stood in his first Test.Player Profile , Cricinfo, retrieved on 18 January 2009.
As well as umpiring in West Indian domestic cricket, Archer also umpired ten matches in England during the 1982 County Championship.David Archer as Umpire in First-Class Matches, CricketArchive, retrieved on 18 January 2009.
Archer was selected as the West Indian representative for the 1987 World Cup staged in Asia. He stood in five matches in the tournament, which was the first major trial of neutral umpires.Obituaries in 1992, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, retrieved on 18 January 2009. His final international umpiring appearance came in April 1992 when he stood in South Africa's first Test back after re-admission, which was also the first-ever Test between South Africa and the West Indies.West Indies v South Africa, South Africa in West Indies 1991/92, CricketArchive, retrieved on 18 January 2009.
Archer was also a publican who ran the Umpires Inn in Barbados. He died in a hospital in Barbados after a short illness six months after his last Test match.
References
External links Cricinfo profile CricketArchive profile