Photo Credit: ICC
Cricket Australia (CA) Supplementary Umpire Panel and ICC Development Umpire Panel member Claire Polosak has been appointed as Fourth Umpire for the Third Vodafone Test Match between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
In doing so, Polosak becomes the first female umpire to officiate a men’s Test Match. This appointment adds to the growing list of firsts for Polosak who also became the first female umpire appointed to a Men’s One-Day International.
Polosak has extensive experience in officiating International Cricket Council (ICC) cricket standing in Women’s T20 and One-Day World Cups, ICC men’s World Cup Qualifying tournaments and several home women’s One-Day and T20 Internationals.
Polosak’s International umpiring career began in 2015 with appointment to the ICC Women’s T20 Qualifying tournament in Thailand. This led to appointment to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in India. In November the following year, Polosak made her Women’s One-Day International debut when Australia played South Africa in Canberra. Polosak was then appointed to the 50-over Women’s World Cup in 2017 held in the United Kingdom. Polosak was then appointed to the ICC Women’s World T20 Cup in the West Indies throughout November 2018 which included the Semi-Final between England and India at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
In addition to her Men’s One Day International match, Polosak has stood 17 Women’s One-Day Internationals with an additional three as Third Umpire, and 33 Women’s T20 Internationals with an additional five as Third Umpire. Polosak has been on the ICC Development Panel of Umpires since 2018 and the CA Supplementary Umpire Panel since 2014/15.
On the domestic front, Polosak has officiated in three Domestic One-Day Cup matches and has fulfilled the Third Umpire duties on 13 occasions in the KFC BBL to date.
Off the field, Polosak works in the development of female cricket umpiring in her role as an Umpire Educator and Female Engagement coordinator with Cricket New South Wales. This work is complemented by the contribution Polosak makes to the New South Wales Cricket Umpires and Scorers’ Association serving on the Board of Directors.
Polosak will join fellow Australian match officials Paul Reiffel, Paul Wilson, Bruce Oxenford and David Boon in the Playing Control Team for the Test Match.
Third Vodafone Test Match – Australia v India
Match Officials
On-Field Umpires: Paul Reiffel and Paul Wilson
Third Umpire: Bruce Oxenford
Fourth Umpire: Claire Polosak
ICC Match Referee: David Boon
Scorers: Ian Wright and Toni Lorraine
Name of Author: Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia (CA), formerly the Australian Cricket Board (ACB), is the governing body for cricket in Australia. Established in 1905 as the Australian Board of Control for International Cricket, CA manages all national teams, including Men’s, Women’s, and Youth sides, as well as other national teams. It oversees the organization of Test matches, ODIs, and T20Is, and coordinates home international fixtures.
