Cricket Australia (CA) National Umpire Panel (NUP) member Phil Gillespie has been announced as this year’s recipient of the prestigious CA Umpire Award.
Cricket Australia (CA) National Umpire Panel (NUP) member Phil Gillespie has been announced as this year's recipient of the prestigious CA Umpire Award.
Awarded annually, the CA Umpire Award is presented to an International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Panel or National Panel Umpire adjudged all-round most outstanding, with consideration not only to an umpire's on-field performance but also their contribution to elite umpiring in Australia by way of significant achievement or off-field work.
It has been a successful season for Gillespie both at the domestic and international levels. Gillespie stood in the Australia v India Women's International series, where he was required to submit to a quarantine period to allow his participation. Gillespie performed well throughout the series which included a Women's Test Match debut.
The Victorian umpired in all men's domestic competitions, where his strong performances earned him on-field appointments to both the KFC BBL|11 Final between the Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers and Marsh One-Day Cup Final between Western Australia and New South Wales.
Gillespie rounded out his domestic summer with an appointment to the Marsh Sheffield Shield Final between Western Australia and Victoria as Third Umpire.
Off the Field, Gillespie contributes to Australian Umpiring as a member of the CA Umpire Leadership Group, a role appointed by the NUP and Supplementary Umpire Panels (SUP) by ballot. Gillespie is an active and willing supporter of pathway umpires, and in April was appointed to the CA Under 19 Male Championships as a mentor for less experienced umpires.
CA Match Officials Manager Sean Easey summarised Gillespie's season.
"When looking at the award criteria - which allocates weighting to both on-field and off-field efforts - Phil's season included the following:
- Contributed strongly to international and domestic cricket
- Appointed on-field to his women's Test debut and two domestic finals
- Has been a consummate professional, shown good character, been an exemplary role model for his peers, given back to the game, and been a willing and positive advocate for cricket and umpiring"
The award, selected by the Cricket Australia Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is based on consideration of the following criteria:
- On field performance
- Demonstrated a high level of professionalism in their conduct throughout the year, both on and off field
- Significant development and improvement in performance on-field
- Significant achievement in umpiring throughout the year
- Contribution to the Australian umpiring community through off-field activities
- Contribution to the Australian cricket community in general
- Sets an example of what it is to be a cricket umpire to the rest of the cricket and umpiring community
Previous winners
Bruce Oxenford 2020/21
Paul Wilson 2019/20
Paul Wilson 2018/19
Paul Wilson 2017/18
Simon Fry 2016/17
Simon Fry 2015/16
Simon Fry 2014/15
Simon Fry 2013/14
Bruce Oxenford 2012/13
Simon Taufel 2011/12
Bruce Oxenford 2010/11
Steve Davis 2009/10
Paul Reiffel 2008/09
Bruce Oxenford 2007/08
Daryl Harper 2006/07
Simon Taufel 2005/06
Peter Parker 2004/05
Simon Taufel 2003/04
