The South Australian Cricket Association is delighted to announce the State Umpiring Panel for 2023/24, highlighted by four new additions to the team.
Dhaval Bhatt, Eloise Sheridan and Harsimran Singh return to the Panel, while Drew Crozier, James Cushway, Peter George and Kurt Miegel have been appointed for the first time.
George, a former First-Class cricketer with both South Australia and Queensland, as well as owner of Test cap number 416, hails from Woodville and is excited to take the next step in his umpiring journey.
“It is exciting to be on the State Panel,” George said. “I have really enjoyed umpiring since I’ve started, it’s a little bit different to playing but it keeps me out of the field.
“Towards the end of my career there were a few conversations, and one particular conversation with [Former Queensland and Australia fast bowler] Andy Bichel talking about how past players often go on to make the best umpires.
“Andy said I would be a good umpire, and at that point I was thinking no way – it just didn’t appeal to me while I was playing I guess.
“But the idea grew on me and a couple of years ago I thought I would give it a go to see if I enjoy it. I am a big enough cricket nerd that I enjoy it out there, so I gave it a go and so far I’m loving it.”
For George, the idea of being able to say involved in the game he has loved his whole life was a driving force behind the decision to dive headlong into umpiring.
He will umpire his first national game on Friday when the SA Scorpions open their season against ACT at Karen Rolton Oval and now that he has achieved another milestone in the journey, he sees no reason to put a ceiling on his aspirations.
“Being able to stay involved at the high-performance level is great, it just feels like home out there on the cricket field for me. I didn’t realise how much I was missing it until I was back out there,” George said.
“I think now that I have a taste for rising through the levels, I have an appetite to see how high I can get. I am letting myself dream about how cool it would be to umpire Test cricket and making a career of it. That would be really exciting.
“Nationally as well, I didn’t get the chance to play Big Bash cricket, so if I got the opportunity to be out on the field with the big crowds, that would be massive for me.”
For Cushway, umpiring is a family affair. He began his match official journey to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Peter Raferty. A veteran of over 250 Premier Cricket matches, Raferty has been an endless well of support for Cushway, mentoring him as he made his way through the pathway.
Miegel earns his place on the State Umpiring Panel after a busy 2022/23 season which included debuts in both WNCL and WBBL cricket, while Crozier crossed from Canberra for his opportunity in South Australia.
Sheridan has been a mainstay of the South Australian umpiring panel in recent years now and in that time has been a trailblazer several times over. With umpiring appointments in WNCL, One Day Cup and Big Bash cricket, as well as international roles around the globe, Sheridan continues to be one of the best stories in Australian sport.