CLAIRE Polosak is making cricket headlines not as a player but as an umpire, breaking new ground with the level at which she has taken her craft.
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Next week she will be umpiring the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in India, the first Australian woman to do so.
Claire is the daughter of Steve and Linda Polosak, both teachers at Goulburn high schools, though Steve has now retired.
She started her cricket umpiring in Goulburn and her passion for the sport has driven her desire to continue to climb through the grades learning all she can about the craft.
Last year she became the first female umpire to officiate at an Australian A List match in the country’s history. She was appointed to the role of third umpire during the Matador Cup clash between Queensland and the Cricket Australia XI on October 19.
Polosak was also appointed to officiate at an International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s World Twenty20 qualifying event in Thailand as part of a ground-breaking quartet of female match officials at the tournament.
Polosak was joined by New Zealand's Kathleen Cross, England’s Sue Redfern and Jacqueline Williams from the West Indies.
Last Friday the ICC announced that Polosak and Cross made it into the 24-member umpires’ panel in the 31-member match officials’ team for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016, which runs from March 8 to April 3. The other seven officials are the match referees.
Their appointments in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2016 comes as the game’s governing body continues to place an important emphasis in recognising that cricket is a game for all, and hopes that this will inspire more women across the globe to become involved in officiating and participating in cricket.
Polosak is usually found on a cricket field in Sydney during the Sydney domestic season umpiring the grade competition.
“I did my first grade debut in Campbelltown against Gordon, and I was put onto the first (grade) panel last year.
“In 2014 and ‘15 I umpired the final of the Under 18 Women’s Australian Championship.
“The skills I use on the cricket field are virtually the same as those I use in the classroom,” the Pittwater High School Science and Agriculture teacher said.
Äccording to her father, Claire has always had a strong determination to follow things through and once she realised it was possible for her to become a cricket umpire, she was determined to learn all she could and become qualified.
“It was not easy living in Goulburn and having to do the examinations at the Sydney Cricket Ground,” her father said.
She was determined to succeed and local umpire Kevin Hogg saw that Claire had the ability and keenness to learn and become a cricket umpire.
“It took her more than one attempt to pass but she studied and has not stopped in her goal to improve as an umpire.”
NSW Cricket Umpires’ and Scorers’ Association director Darren Goodger said that Ms Polosak thoroughly deserved her appointment as one of the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016 officials.
“She has an incredible work ethic and studies the laws of cricket and their application; works on her fitness and reads widely as she can about cricket, she has earned her positions on merit and is a respected member of the A List panel,” Goodger said.
“She is a board member of the NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association. Claire is also contracted to Cricket Australia and has worked really hard to earn her position. She certainly has the right attitude to be a good cricket umpire and take control of the situation and her teamwork is outstanding. Claire is also an active umpire educator and a great advocate for cricket umpiring in general.”
Polosak said that she is lucky to have a good supportive partner when it comes to her cricket umpiring and her teaching.
“The school is also supportive of my cricket commitments and willing to allow me the time off to participate at the elite officiating level,” she said.
“My boss, Jane Ferris has been fantastic. I enjoy my job as a teacher and the skills I have developed in this area of my life transfer to the demands of umpiring. You learn from your mistakes and you never stop studying, learning, and looking at how to do better.
“I really owe so much to the people around me, including my parents and everyone who has helped me along the umpiring pathway and that of my fulltime career too. I am really passionate about what I do and believe in putting the effort in to achieve results.”
The complete list of ICC World Twenty 20 India 2016 match officials is:
Match referees - David Boon, Chris Broad, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Andy Pycroft, Richie Richardson and Javagal Srinath.
Umpires – Anil Chaudhary, Johan Cloete, Kathy Cross, Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Simon Fry, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Vineet Kulkarni, Nigel Llong, Ranmore Martinesz, CK Nandan, Bruce Oxenford, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Claire Polosak, Paul Reiffel, Chettithody Shamshuddin, Ravi Sundaram, Rod Tucker and Joel Wilson.
