Standing with Bucknor in the final will be the `Dancing umpire' David Shepherd.

The Englishman Shepherd and West Indian Bucknor, who stood together in the 1996 final between Sri Lanka and Australia in Lahore, are widely regarded as the best -- and the most colourful -- umpires in the game.

The portly, red-faced `Shep' is both respected and liked by the players for his firm judgement and his friendly manner. The crowds love him for his eccentricities. The 58-year-old from the small town of Bideford, in the South-West of England, begins dancing on one foot whenever the score hits the dreaded `Nelson' of 111.He also starts hopping on 222, 333 etc.

Cricketing folklore says that any multiple of the Nelson is unlucky and provokes the fall of wickets. The only way to combat it is to stand on one leg.

Shepherd played as a batsman for Gloucestershire. He made his Test debut as an umpire in 1985. When not travelling the globe, he helps out in the family post office business -- hence his hobby of stamp collecting.

The equally-respected 53-year-old Bucknor, from Montego Bay has become best known for the long delay before he raises his finger to give batsmen out. The Great Delayer's decisions, whichever way they go, are often accompanied by a wistful smile and a sad shake of the head.

Bucknor, a sports consultant, did not play the game but enjoys the unique distinction of having officiated in both cricket and football World Cups. He was a football referee between 1985-92. He made his international cricket umpiring debut in 1988.

Shepherd -- a bachelor who has lived with his partner for more than 20 years(``friends say I should get married but I don't like to rush things'') -- and Bucknor, married with two sons, three daughters and one stepdaughter, were put through their paces during the World Cup second-round match between India and Pakistan.

Bucknor and Shepherd could have been blocked from standing in the final if England and the West Indies were still in the tournament, but both were knocked out in the first round.

India's Srinivas Venkataraghavan will be the TV umpire, sitting and judging the decisions rather than being in the thick of a final. There is, however, recognition for him already in that he is to be seen as the third best umpire in the world in the ranking that the ICC tries to keep secret.

Venkat was right up there with the best but may have slipped somewhat in the last couple of seasons, to as low as five at one time, and has staged a comeback in this World Cup in which his ranking has risen again.

He would have dearly loved to stand in a final and become only the second Indian tohave done so. The first was Ram Babu Gupta of Delhi who stood in the Reliance Cup in 1987 along with Mehboob Shah of Pakistan.

Venkat's experience as a Test captain, World Cup captain (twice) and player and his vast knowledge of the small type in the laws of cricket have earned him due recognition in the sport's governing body. He is considered an expert on the laws and is to be involved in the rewriting of the laws of cricket which were updated in 1980 and need further refining in the modern age.