Speaking his mind about the new chucking rules, which came into effect on March 1, the Jamaican said: "It has cleared up a few things. A naked eye can only make out if a bowler bends his arm more than 15 degrees.

"The umpires still can a bowler for throwing if they feel he is bending his arm more than the permissible limit," he said.

Before recommending the 15-degree limit, the ICC, panel, headed by India's Sunil Gavaskar, had studied video clips of some of top bowlers who it though had the perfect action, but scientific evidence showed that they all were bending their arm more than the legal limit.

"This was the main reason for the introduction of new the law," ICC chief Ehsan Mani had told Khaleej Times the other day.

Bucknor, however, thinks that the overall standard of umpiring has gone up. "I feel it has improved a lot. Bowlers are more consistent these days because of the technology. They know where to bowl at a batsman and try to maintain that rhythm.

"Irfan Pathan is a prime example. He may not be a great bowler today, but for a youngster he has been as consistent as someone like Glenn McGrath."

The premier umpire felt that the intensity of the heat among the players is more on the field during the Ashes series compared to that of India-Pakistan clashes."The Indian and Pakistan players get along well. The role of an umpire during an India-Pakistan series is that of a peace-maker -- to try and nip any potentially situation in the bud."

Talking about his landmark, Bucknor said:"This Test may be a special in numerical terms, but for me it's just another game. It's the game that matters. If I start worrying about landmarks, my job may suffer," said Bucknor, who conceded that just eight umpires on the ICC Elite Panel makes the job a little tough.

"With just eight of us around, its asking the umpires to do a lot. Ideally, there should be 10. It will take some pressure off and give more umpires an opportunity to get on the panel," said the multifaceted Bucknor, who is also qualified Fifa referee.