Sydney: Claire Polosak never played cricket and failed the umpires’ exam “a few times” but is set to become the first woman to officiate an Australian men’s top level fixture when New South Wales play Cricket Australia XI in a One-day match on Sunday. 

In this match Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc is also expected to feature for the Blues. The 29-year-old, who also officiated four matches at the women’s World Cup in England earlier this year, said becoming a cricket umpire was something she was just determined to do, despite having no experience of playing the game.

Polosak said that I never played cricket, which is a little bit interesting for some people but I have got full encouragement into it from my family. Adding on she said that I always followed cricket, my parents got me into it and dad would drive me up from Goulburn to do the umpires course. 

Polosak has been on Cricket Australia’s development umpire panel for the past two years and has previously been a third-umpire in men’s domestic cricket. She also said that her preparations would not change for the occasion.