Roger Dill, Bermuda?s top cricket umpire, hasn?t encountered any difficulties adapting to the longer version of the game in Toronto.

In fact, the 49-year-old fireman relished being out in the middle of last week?s thrilling four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup clash between hosts Canada and Kenya at King?s City.

?Every half hour the game swung one way to the other up until the last day,? Dill toldyesterday.

?It was a lot of sun, but with the sessions only being two hours long we actually played six hours per day and tried to get through 90 overs in a day. And, of course, in preparation prior to the match we (umpires) took in a lot of water and got our rest at night.?

Dill said the introduction of the four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup now provided umpires with a means of preparing themselves for the ultimate version of the game, Test cricket.

?I think this is the ambition of most umpires, especially those living in Test playing countries,? he added. ?But even Associate members now have a glimmer of hope in that one of our members may reach Test match status and even in the four-day format we are playing under Test match conditions.

?I think the ICC have made it pretty clear they are trying to develop cricket totally, not just in the shorter version (limited overs), but also in the multiple-day game. And that is one of the reasons why the ICC Intercontinental Cup was increased to four-day matches.?

Dill said officiating in the longer version of the game took ?a bit more concentration?.

?Mentally you are concentrating more, and it definitely is a challenge and a difference,? he added.

The past 12 months has seen the Bermudian umpire officiate in the UK, Africa, Middle East and also in the Caribbean.

And it this experience that has enabled Dill to grow in confidence officiating on the international front.

?I try to take my approach to each game very seriously,? he explained. ?Even the training I have had and tips I have picked up from other umpires has helped me gain more experience.

?They have a more professional approach to the game, and that also makes you want to become professional as well. These guys do this sort of thing for a living and are not out there just for fun or to enjoy the game.

?This is their livelihood and so they take the job very seriously and look at things and even study the players themselves and not just the game itself.?

Dill, a former Western Stars off spin bowler, is currently on the ICC Associates Affiliates and Americas Elite Panel of umpires.

As for the appointments of retired English umpires David Shepherd and Mervyn Kitchen for this year?s Cup Match, Dill stated: ?I was very surprised they (Cup Match clubs) brought in other umpires and a little disappointed that things ended up going that way.?

This week has seen Dill officiating in a domestic cricket tournament currently underway in Toronto.

The senior cricket umpire is next scheduled to officiate Bermuda?s One-Day Internationals (ODI) against Canada on August 19 and 21.