When medical tests revealed that Shoaib Akhtar would be unable to play for the County in 2000, Paul Reiffel, the Australian international bowler, was engaged as a replacement (This was the second time Notts had to engage an overseas player as a late replacement - the first was Nathan Astle of New Zealand, who came in when Mohammed Zahid was unavailable).
Reiffel, a member of the 1999 World Cup winning team, arrived in England in mid-June and was immediately drafted into the side to oppose Middlesex in a NatWest Trophy match. He went wicketless as Middlesex, led by his Australia team-mate Justin Langer, won easily. Three days later Reiffel took his first wicket for Notts in the National League game against Essex, which Notts won.
Considering the lateness of his arrival, his overall record for the County was an impressive one. In all competitive matches he took 29 wickets at 29.68 and scored 335 runs at 41.87. His best Championship game was against Warwickshire at Trent Bridge, when he scored 26no and 60no, as well as taking five for 62 in the first innings.
In the Norwich Union-sponsored National League he returned the impressive analysis of 7-3-8-3 v Glamorgan at Colwyn Bay.
After retirement he became a First-Class cricket umpire and is currently a member of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, standing in the 2019 Cricket World Cup held in England and Wales and again in the 2023 tournament in India.
November 2023
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 555