South Australian umpire Eloise Sheridan will make history once again this summer, when she and Claire Polosak become the first women to be appointed as on-field match officials in the Marsh Sheffield Shield.
Both umpires have previously officiated in women's international fixtures, the Marsh One-Day Cup and KFC Big Bash League as well as the Women’s National Cricket League and Weber Women’s Big Bash League.
November 16 is when Sheridan will make her Sheffield Shield debut, standing for Victoria and Queensland match at the MCG alongside Gerard Abood, with Polosak debuting in the same round.
Sheridan made her women’s Test debut as an on-field umpire during the 2022 Ashes series and has previously umpired in the ICC Women's World Cup after progressing through the South Australian umpiring pathway.
Both Polosak and Sheridan were the on-field umpires for the Final of the Women’s Big Bash League in 2020, the first time two female umpires have officiated together in an Australian domestic final.
Sheridan said they were excited to make their Marsh Sheffield Shield debuts.
“I am excited to be making my men's first-class debut and honoured to be doing so in the same round as Claire,” Sheridan said.
“This is a significant moment for umpiring in Australia, and hopefully we can continue to break down barriers for those who come after us. It also provides a great opportunity for others to recognise the important role that umpires play in the game and it might inspire a few budding umpires to join the team.
“I am proud that my hard work has resulted in this opportunity and excited to see what the future holds in my umpiring career. I am really grateful for the support from Cricket Australia and SACA along the way, as well as my family and friends.”
CA’s Umpiring Chairman of Selectors, Damien Mealey said it is a testament to the strong CA umpiring pathway that both women have progressed from the elite domestic competitions to the international stage.
“More recently, both attended the Commonwealth Games and represented their states and Australia proudly with exemplary performances,” Mealey said.
“As pioneers in women’s officiating, they have set and maintained a high standard and thoroughly deserve this accolade of becoming Australian cricket’s next first-class umpires.”
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