New Delhi: Legendary umpire Dickie Bird says he has always found Indian cricketers to be “gentlemen” and that all past players have been a credit to the game.

“I have always found the Indian team, going back to Gavaskar, Chandrasekhar, Prasanna and Wadekar when I umpired them, to be gentlemen and I mean that in every sense of the term. They all have been a credit to the profession and to the game,” Bird told a television channel.

Bird said the Australian players of his era also kept the spirit of the game intact.

“...Players like Lillie, Johnson, Marsh, the Chappell brothers… they played hard but always played within the laws and the spirit of the game. And if I thought things were getting out of control, I used to have quite word with both captains,” said the Englishman.

Bird said the incidents that marred the Sydney Test could have been avoided if the umpires had only intervened in time.

“The two umpires will realise when they look back on it that they should have got the two captains together. In a proper manner, in a nice way… probably cracked a joke with the two captains… that’s what I used to do,” said Bird.

“It was very sad what I saw going on… Sad for the game but I do hope we can rise from this. Cricket has got to be the winner. Lets play the game in a proper manner within the law and spirit of the game.

“With all the technology available they (umpires) can go to the third umpire and I think now the third umpire is more important.” On Steve Bucknor, Bird said, “I did advise him and I did have a long chat with him a while ago and said look, ‘if I can give you any advice it is to retire while you still are respected’,” he said.

The 74-year-old officiated in 66 Tests and 69 ODIs, overtaking Frank Chester’s record (of 48 Tests) in Zimbabwe in 1996. His final first-class game was between Yorkshire and Warwickshire in 1998.