Kolkata: Claire Polosak is all set to become the first female umpire to officiate a top level fixture in men’s cricket in Australia when New South Wales take on Cricket Australia XI on Sunday.
She would be accompanied by veteran umpire Paul Wilson at the Hurstville Oval, where left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc expectedly would turn up for New South Wales.
Polosak has the experience of officiating four matches in the women’s world cup held earlier this year and she said she was determined to become an umpire, without her having no experience of playing the sport whatsoever. As a matter of fact, she even failed the umpires exam, “a few times.”
In an interaction with reporters on Wednesday in Sydney, the 29-year-old said, “I never played cricket, which is a little bit interesting for some people.”
She added, “I always followed cricket, my parents got me into it and Dad would drive me up from Goulburn to do the umpires course.”
“It took a few times to pass but it was something I was determined to do and I kept working through the grades in the Sydney competition,” she added further.
She has been on the Cricket Australia’s development umpire panel for the last two years and has also officiated as the third-umpire in men’s domestic cricket previously.
She said, “There’s preparation, there’s playing conditions, learning the players, having a meeting with your teammate… discuss what signals you’re going to be using, how you’re going to communicate.”
Comparing men’s cricket with the women’s version, she said, “Physically, it’s very similar stuff to a player, fitness, core strength, back and legs because you’re standing up on the field for seven hours.”
Exuding confidence, she added, “I’ve got mental triggers so I’m able to watch every ball as you go, so you can settle into that.”