Cricket Australia Announces Umpire Panel List For The 2020-21 Season

Cricket Australia announced the Umpire Panels for the 2020-21 season on Friday [June 05, 2020]. The four-member international panel remains the same for the 2020-21 season. The four-men International Umpire Panel, which is nominated to the International Cricket Council for officiating in Men’s International matches comprises of Gerard Abood, Shawn Craig, Sam Nogajski, and Paul Wilson.

As far as the National Umpire Panel is concerned, the apex cricketing body in Australia has picked

Mike Graham-Smith, Donovan Koch, Sam Nogajski, Tony Wilds and Paul Wilson, Gerard Abood, Darren Close, Shawn Craig, Greg Davidson, and Phil Gillespie.

Darren Close, who made his debut as an 18-year-old back in 1987 and stood in 20 First-Class two List-A games before leaving the game five years later in 1992, has been elevated to the National Umpire Panel as he makes his comeback to the top-tier of officiating. Close returned to the First-Class arena last season after 27 years of absence from the game.

As far as the supplementary Umpire Panel is concerned, the likes of Nathan Johnstone, Simon Lightbody, Troy Penman, Claire Polosak, David Taylor, and Ben Treloar have been chosen.

Cricket Australia congratulated all the selected Umpires for the 2020-21 season

David Taylor has filled the vacancy created by Darren Close in the supplementary umpire panel.

Cricket Australia has also acknowledged the valiant contribution of veteran umpire Geoff Joshua. Joshua, who stood in 171 domestic games and 17 Women’s international matches across all formats of the game, did not get his contract renewed.

With the retirements of Simon Fry and John Ward and the subsequent changes in the panel, the National Umpire Panel has been reduced from 12 members to 10 for the upcoming season.

Peter Roach, Cricket Australia Head of Cricket Operations, congratulated all the selected umpires while also thanking Geoff Joshua for his services towards the game.

“We’d like to congratulate all 16 umpires named in the National and Supplementary Umpire Panels for the 2020-21 season. We also thank Geoff Joshua for his service throughout his time on the Umpire Panel, in addition to the retiring Simon Fry and John Ward,” Roach said as quoted by Asian News International.

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