Become an Umpire

Sam has been umpiring cricket for over two decades having finished his 12-year playing career with the Clarence District Cricket Club. Sam was able to progress through the Cricket Tasmania Premier League Umpiring ranks and through the Cricket Australia National Underage Carnivals to be selected onto the Cricket Australia National Umpiring Panel in 2012. In 2016, Sam was selected to be included on the Australian International Panel that services the local International One Day and T20 internationals. Sam’s umpiring career domestically has seen him umpire over 70 First Class Matches, including six Sheffield Shield Finals, over 50 One Day Domestic Matches, including four Grand Finals and 90 Big Bash League games, including six Grand Finals. Internationally, Sam has had the privilege of umpiring in over 12 different Countries and most recently was one of twenty umpires selected to the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup held in the USA and the Caribbean. Off the field Sam is a passionate Secondary Mathematics Teacher at the Hutchins School, Hobart.

Mike started playing cricket for the Yeoman Emus Cricket Club in the Northwest Tasmania Cricket Association in 1983.A batsman, he moved to Hobart in 1988 to study Mathematics and joined the Tasmania University Cricket Club (TUCC). He played 18 seasons for the TUCC making 202 first grade appearances. He won 1 x premiership and 4 x Kookaburra Cup; while off the field he was a committee member for twelve years, serving last seven as President, and was awarded life membership of the TUCC in 2006. Mike took up umpiring after retiring at the end of the 2006/07 season and became a member of the Tasmanian State Panel two years later. In 2010, Mike was chosen to umpire in the men's Under 17 National Championships in Adelaide (January) and its Under 19 equivalents in Brisbane (December). Mike was a member of the Tasmanian Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association management committee for three years serving one year as Vice President and two as President from 2010 until 2013. Mike was awarded Life Membership of the TCUSA in 2021. He was a member of Cricket Australia’s Emerging Panel for the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 seasons standing in a pre-season series on the Sunshine Coast & Darwin, in September 2012, and July 2013 respectively. Mike was appointed to Cricket Australia’s National Umpiring Panel in 2013 and has gone on to stand in 36 One Day Cup matches, 88 BBL matches, 50 Sheffield Shield matches: 52 first-class matches in total. In 2022, he made his Women’s Test match debut in the Ashes match between Australia and England at Manuka Oval, Canberra. In the same year, he stood in his first Men’s T20 International match between Indonesia and South Korea played in Sano, Japan. In February 2024, Mike made his debut in an ICC full members Men’s T20 international in the match between Australia and the West Indies played at the Perth Stadium. As of April 2024, Mike has stood in 16 international fixtures.

Muhammad is an IT professional and avid cricket enthusiast who transitioned to umpiring. He achieved the Rookie Umpire Award during his inaugural year at NSW in 2007-08 and has since officiated in 132 games in Sydney Grade Cricket. Muhammad has been a Cricket Australia Pathway Umpire since 2014, officiating in underage national championships, WBBL, WNCL, BBL, and Second XI games. His Notable highlights include officiating the finals of the U17 Male National Championship and U18 Female National Championship in 2017. Muhammad relocated to Tasmania in 2015, where he serves as a Cricket Tasmania State Panel Umpire. He boasts over 250 games in CTPL, including officiating four First Grade Grand Finals consecutively over the past three years. In addition to his umpiring commitments, Muhammad completed his PhD in IT at UTAS. His research focused on enhancing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for DRS technologies and related stakeholder management practices, using international cricket as a case study. Muhammad is a strong advocate for inclusion, diversity, and continuous learning. He also manages a dedicated YouTube channel where he shares his expertise in umpiring.

Originally from Hobart but now residing in Launceston, Simon Burns began his umpiring career in 2003/04.  He made his first-grade debut in 2010/11 and in 2024/25 Simon will officiate in his 400th CTPL match and is fast approaching 200 first grade matches. Simon has been on the State panel since 2019/20 and has officiated at 6 National Underage Carnivals, including the Final of the Under 15's in 2018/19 & has officiated in WBBL, WNCL & Futures League in his time on the State Panel. Simon has been on the committee for the Tasmanian Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association for 8 years, including 3 as President of the TCUSA. Outside of cricket, Simon works as a Manager of a Law Firm in Launceston and enjoys baseball & is an avid gamer in his spare time.

Sam began his umpiring journey in 2015/16 season as a part time and decided to take on umpiring full time in season 2018/19. He was initially encouraged to take up umpiring part time his uncle Simon, whilst playing grade cricket with New Town. Since then, Sam has umpired over 200 CTPL matches and made his First-Grade umpiring debut in 2021-22 and have been a regular first grade umpire since. Sam has been on Tasmanian State Panel since 22/23 season, officiating at 3 under-age championships, including a semifinal at the U17 male championship in season 23/24. He has also officiated in 2nd XI, WBBL and WNCL matches. Sam was fortunate to be a part of an exchange program with NSW in 2022/23, where he stood with National Umpire Ben Treloar in a 2-day match, gaining valuable experience and feedback. Outside of cricket loves playing indoor cricket, soccer and collecting soccer memorabilia from around the world. He has over 300+ shirts in his collection.