He has raised his wonky finger to fire his share of batsmen over the years. Now the international adjudicator is applying those instincts to provide some feedback for his colleagues.
Bowden was in Dunedin yesterday as part of an initiative by New Zealand Cricket to develop the country's umpires.
His first assignment was to watch umpires Barry Frost and Gary Baxter in Otago's four-day match against Northern Districts at the University Oval in Dunedin.
Bowden was there not only to provide an appraisal but also to offer some support in a mentoring role.
"By doing this we hope to improve the depth of our umpiring," he said.
"We have got some very good umpires who have done over 50 first-class games. So we've got some experience there; we just need to get their confidence and mental capacity up, because they have got it."
Bowden said players had coaches, managers and mentors, but umpires were mostly on their own.
"There is no-one who can really sit down and watch them and help them through."
Bowden spends up to nine months a year out of the country officiating, and he enjoyed having a lower profile yesterday.
"Mentally and physically you get a bit drained," he said.
"To come back and umpire domestic cricket does not do my health any good, or the game any good."
Bowden's last international assignment was in the Champions Trophy in September and October. He was the fourth official during the final, and he also stood in the fourth and fifth tests of this year's Ashes series.
His next international appointment is the ODI series between Australia and the West Indies in February.
