Howard elevated to 2024-25 Contracted Umpires Panel

A new three-year MoU between Cricket Australia and the Umpire Leadership Group (ULG) will see an 18-umpire Cricket Australia Contracted Umpires Panel (CACUP) replace the National Umpire Panel (NUP) and Supplementary Umpire Panel (SUP).

Receiving his first contract, NSW’s Roberto Howard has been elevated to the newly established panel, reward for his hard work and consistent performance in recent seasons.

Howard’s resume includes 210 NSW Premier Cricket matches, 34 WBBL fixtures, 5 WNCL matches and 8 Men’s Second XI matches, in addition to a number of Finals and National Championships appearances.

In addition to Howard, NSW will be represented by Gerard Abood, Greg Davidson, Simon Lightbody, Sharad Patel, Troy Penman, Claire Polosak and Ben Treloar.

The new model, in which umpires are remunerated based on their ranking between 1-18, ensures top performing umpires officiate in more matches each season. Retainers are weighted according to past and expected future performance and will include bonuses for appointment to Domestic Finals, KFC BBL and Weber WBBL Finals.

The Contracted Umpires Panel for the 2024-25 summer of cricket contains a wealth of playing and officiating experience and will oversee the bulk of professional domestic competitions.

Cricket continues to encourage the development of more female officials, with the contracting of Claire Polosak (NSW) and Eloise Sheridan (SA) – two of the world’s best female umpires – who last season became the first ever female umpires to stand at Sheffield Shield level.

One of Australia’s most respected and long-serving umpires, NSW’s Paul Wilson, announced his retirement from the Cricket Australia National Umpires Panel at the conclusion of the last Australian season, joining Queensland’s Bruce Oxenford in retirement.

Australians Rod Tucker and Paul Reiffel have retained their ICC umpire contracts.

Damien Mealey, Chairman of the Cricket Australia Umpire Selection Panel said:

“The quality of the panel is an endorsement of the outstanding umpiring talent within Australian cricket.

"The selection panel is encouraged by the emergence of new umpires developing across all States and Territories, which has resulted in several first-class debuts placing match officiating in a very strong position moving forward.

"I would especially like to congratulate Daryl Brigham and Roberto Howard on their elevation to the Umpire Panel, which has been well earned after strong performances over a number of seasons."

Shawn Craig, CA Contracted umpire and Umpire Leadership Group member said:

“We’re delighted to confirm a new three-year agreement with Cricket Australia and believe this lays the foundation for the future growth and development of umpires in Australia.

“The agreement demonstrates Cricket Australia and the Umpire Leadership Group’s ongoing commitment to the development and support of umpires within Australian Cricket.”

2024-25 CA Contracted Umpires Panel (listed alphabetically)

Gerard Abood (NSW/Cricket NSW/Western Suburbs CC)
Daryl Brigham (VIC/Cricket Victoria/Strathmore CC)
Shawn Craig (VIC/Cricket Victoria/St Kilda CC)
Drew Crozier (SA/ACT Cricket)
Greg Davidson (NSW/Cricket NSW/Paramatta District CC)
Stephen Dionysius (QLD/Queensland Cricket/Northern Suburbs District CC)
Phil Gillespie (VIC/Cricket Victoria/Rowville CC)
Mike Graham-Smith (TAS/Cricket Tasmania/University of Tasmania CC)
Roberto Howard (NSW/Cricket New South Wales)
Donovan Koch (QLD/Queensland Cricket/Somerset West CC)
Simon Lightbody (NSW/ACT Cricket/Ashgrove CC)
Sam Nogajski (TAS/Cricket Tasmania/Clarence District CC)
Sharad Patel (NSW/Cricket New South Wales/Fairfield Liverpool CC)
Troy Penman (NSW/Cricket New South Wales/Panania East Hills RSL CC)
Claire Polosak (NSW/Goulbourn District Cricket Association)
Eloise Sheridan (SA/South Australian Cricket Association/Kensington CC)
David Taylor (QLD/Cricket New South Wales/Penrith CC)
Ben Treloar (NSW/Cricket New South Wales/Auburn District CC)

2023-24 CA International Panel Umpires (nominated to ICC as umpires for Men’s International matches

Shawn Craig (VIC/Cricket Victoria/St Kilda CC)
Phil Gillespie (VIC/Cricket Victoria/Rowville CC)
Donovan Koch (QLD/Queensland Cricket/Somerset West CC)
Sam Nogajski (TAS/Cricket Tasmania/Clarence District CC)