He became a full-time ICC umpire in 1997, and was one of the original members of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires when it was founded in 2002. He went on to officiate in a record 209 ODIs - becoming the second umpire (after David Shepherd) to stand in 150 ODIs with the match between India and Pakistan at Abu Dhabi on 19 April 2006, surpassing Shepherd's record of 172 ODIs with the Cricket World Cup match between the West Indies and England in Barbados on 21 April 2007, and standing in his 200th ODI with the match between Ireland and Kenya at Dublin on 11 July 2009. He also became the second umpire, after Steve Bucknor, to stand in 100 Test matches with the second Test of the 2009 Ashes between England and Australia at Lord's on 16 July 2009, and eventually officiated in 108 Tests.