Mitchell Claydon elevated to Cricket Australia contracted umpire panel

NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association | April 12, 2025

Mitchell Claydon together with Sharad Patel ahead of the NSW Premier Cricket Men's First Grade Limited Overs Cup Final this season | Ian Bird

NSWCUSA member Mitchell Claydon has been elevated to the Cricket Australia Contracted Umpire Panel for 2025-26, with three changes made to the group, announced today by CA.

Claydon comes onto the Panel with Riki Wessels from Queensland, and Chris Grant from Victoria, with the trio elevated on the back of consistent performances at U19 Male National Championships, Second XI, WBBL and WNCL in recent seasons.

In response to the announcement, NSW State Umpiring Manager, Darren Goodger praised Claydon’s development as an umpire, “We are thrilled for Mitch who has worked hard and positively for several years to achieve this recognition.

“He has been a dedicated and consistent member of the NSWCUSA and NSW State Umpire Panel, committed to umpiring NSW Men’s Premier Cricket, respected by players, coaches, administrators and colleagues. Mitch has performed to a consistently excellent standard.

“He has also authentically contributed to the development of other umpires by presenting at Laws of Cricket courses, leading a PD workshop for colleagues with NRL referee Gerard Sutton, presenting at NSWCUSA monthly meetings, and through his leadership and positive attitude.

“Mitch deserves this opportunity. We know he will make a positive contribution to the CACUP. All at CNSW and the NSWCUSA offer congratulations to Mitch and wish him only the best.”

Selected on the NSW State Umpiring Panel in 2023, in that time, Claydon officiated eight WBBL, five WNCL, and four Second XI matches – with an additional three matches as TV Umpire in WBBL|10.

In the inaugural T20 Spring Challenge tournament last season he umpired eight matches, including the first semi-final between the Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat.

Claydon has attended four underage national championships, including consecutive appearances at the U19 Male National Championships which have seen him appointed to the Final – in Albury in 2023 and Adelaide in 2024.

A former first-class player in the United Kingdom, Claydon played 96 matches in the County Championships across stints with Yorkshire, Durham, Canterbury, Kent, and Sussex.

By the time he retired as a player in 2021, he had already been umpiring in NSW Premier Cricket during the Australian summers.

At the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Claydon has umpired 96 matches in the Sydney Cricket Association, including 67 Men’s First Grade fixtures since debuting in February 2020 in the Round 14 match between Sydney University and St George.

This season he was appointed to oversee the Men’s First Grade Limited Overs Cup Final, as Randwick Petersham defeated Parramatta at Old Kings Oval.

The elevated trio replace Greg Davidson and David Taylor, whose contracts were not renewed by Cricket Australia, and Simon Lightbody, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

The full CA Contracted Umpire Panel is:

•            Gerard Abood (New South Wales)

•            Daryl Brigham (Victoria)

•            Mitchell Claydon (New South Wales)

•            Shawn Craig (Victoria)

•            Drew Crozier (South Australia)

•            Stephen Dionysuis (Queensland)

•            Phil Gillespie (Victoria)

•            Mike Graham-Smith (Tasmania)

•            Chris Grant (Victoria)

•            Roberto Howard (New South Wales)

•            Donovan Koch (Queensland)

•            Sam Nogajski (Tasmania)

•            Sharad Patel (New South Wales)

•            Troy Penman (New South Wales)

•            Claire Polosak (New South Wales)

•            Eloise Sheridan (South Australia)

•            Ben Treloar (New South Wales)

•            Rikki Wessels (Queensland)