Three BBL Debuts Over Festive Season

The festive season always gives us plenty to celebrate, but for three NSWCUSA members, this year was extra special as they made debuts in the KFC BBL.

Scorer Sarah Berman and umpires Sharad Patel and Claire Polosak have each officiated in the competition for the first-time in recent weeks.

Berman sat in a BBL scorers’ box for the first-time on Boxing Day as the Sydney Sixers hosted the Melbourne Stars at the SCG, having scored her first Sheffield Shield match at the same venue in November.

In officiating this match, Berman has now officiated in each of Cricket Australia’s domestic competitions this season, the first time she has achieved this feat.

She also recorded the recent Sydney Smash at Sydney Showgrounds on 8 January and will be one of the scorers for both remaining SCG matches in BBL|12.

Patel was involved in the BBL for the first time when he stood in the match between the Brisbane Heat and the Adelaide Strikers on 23 December at The Gabba.

In his first season as a member of Cricket Australia’s Supplementary Umpire Panel, his appointment came having also made his Men’s List A debut in October, also in Brisbane.

He was also in the middle on 28 December at the SCG as the Sixers hosted the Melbourne Renegades and was Third Umpire on New Year’s Day in Melbourne when the Renegades hosted the Perth Scorchers.

Patel will also be the Third Umpire on 15 January when the Hobart Hurricanes host the Thunder at Blundstone Arena and 17 January in Coffs Harbour where the Sixers will host the Strikers.

Claire Polosak made her first on-field appearance in the BBL at the SCG on 22 December as the Sixers hosted the Hurricanes.

The debut was not her first men’s T20 fixture, earlier this season having umpired six Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier matches in Vanuatu.

She has since also appeared on-field on 10 January in Adelaide when the Strikers hosted the Renegades in addition to three matches as Third Umpire throughout the tournament.

Cricket Australia have appointed Polosak to officiate in the upcoming women’s international series against Pakistan, which will see her on-field for two ODIs and two T20Is and TV umpire for one ODI.