The match official appointments for the upcoming Commonwealth Bank Women's International Series between Australia and India have been confirmed and they feature some significant milestones.
Eloise Sheridan, who has previously stood in seven Women's Twenty20 Internationals and who, this summer, has been elevated to the Cricket Australia Supplementary Umpire Panel (SUP), is scheduled to stand her first Women's One-Day International (WODI) match in the second of the three matches to be played at the Great Barrier Reef Arena.
Sheridan's fellow umpires Phil Gillespie and Claire Polosak together with match referee Bob Stratford are all set to be officiating in their debut women's Test match. Gillespie is on the Cricket Australia National Umpire Panel (NUP) while Polosak, who became first women to stand in a men's ODI in April 2019 when she officiated in the Namibia – Oman match in the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 in Windhoek and was fourth umpire in last summer's Australia – India men's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, is on the SUP.
Stratford, a member of CA's Match Referees Panel, has previously overseen 14 WODIs and 10 WT20Is.
Additionally, Bruce Oxenford, who this summer has rejoined the NUP after almost a decade with the International Cricket Council's panel of umpires, will stand in two of the three WODIs and two of the three WT20Is and will be the third umpire for the Test match.
The series, which will feature three Women's ODIs, a day-night Test match and three Women's Twenty20 Internationals, commences on Tuesday September 21 with a WODI at the Great Barrier Reef Arena.
Commenting on the appointments, Cricket Australia's Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling Peter Roach said:
"Congratulations to all those appointed to matches in this series.
"For Eloise, Claire, Phil and Bob, the career milestones these matches will mark are testimony to their continuing excellence and are fully deserved.
"And we are delighted that the playing control team includes Bruce Oxenford as to have an umpire of his experience around the other officials can only be of benefit to them.
"The fact this Commonwealth Bank Series is taking place is down to the efforts of numerous people and Cricket Australia is grateful to the efforts of everyone who is helping to make it possible.
"That includes the Queensland and Federal Governments, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the hotels and venues, the medical and biosecurity staff and the players and officials."
The series will commence with three Women's ODIs at the Great Barrier Reef Arena on September 21, 24 and 26, before the action switches to the Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast for a Test match from September 30 – October 3 and then three Women's Twenty 20 Internationals on October 7, 9 and 10.
Prior to the start of the series, the India squad will take part in two warm-up matches against a Cricket Australia XI on September 16 and 18, with both taking place at the Ian Healy Oval in Brisbane.
Phil Gillespie and Claire Polosak will stand in the first of the warm-up games, with Eliose Sheridan alongside Bruce Oxenford in the second match, while Bob Stratford will oversee both as match referee.
