Canterbury’s John Bromley has been promoted to New Zealand Cricket’s National Umpire Panel for the 2017-18 season.
Mr Bromley, a manager at the Timaru Container Terminal, has been a member of NZC’s Reserve Panel since 2010-11, having stood in five first-class games, three Super Smash fixtures and four Ford Trophy one-dayers.
He will replace long-serving Auckland umpire, Phil Jones, in the only change to the NUP.
NZC Match Officials Manager, Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri said it was a difficult decision to replace Mr Jones on the NUP and that he wanted to acknowledge his long service, and his commitment to umpiring and the game of cricket.
“NZC wishes to express its gratitude and admiration for Phil’s commitment to the game over a long period of time.”
Mr Eden-Whaitiri described the 2016-17 summer as one in which New Zealand’s top umpires excelled, particularly the three new faces on NZC’s international panel: Messrs Chris Brown, Wayne Knights, and Shaun Haig.
Chris Gaffaney retains his position on the ICC Elite Umpires Panel for 2017/2018
A feature of NZC’s umpiring landscape has been the decision to reduce the Reserve Panel from 19 to 12 umpires, in order to provide a clearer pathway for those developing umpires capable of promotion into the NUP.
Otago’s Kannan Jagannathan is the new face of the Reserve Panel, having won promotion on the back of consistent performances within his Major Association. In March, Mr Jagannathan was named Community Match Official of the Year.
NZC International Panel: Chris Brown (Auckland), Wayne Knights (Auckland), Shaun Haig (Otago).
National Umpire Panel: Brent Bowden (Auckland), Chris Brown (Auckland), John Bromley (Canterbury), Tony Gillies (Auckland), Shaun Haig (Otago), Wayne Knights (Auckland), Ash Mehrotra (Northern Districts), Tim Parlane (Canterbury), Derek Walker (Otago).
Reserve Umpire Panel: Cory Black (Wellington), Kim Cotton (Canterbury), Kathy Cross (Wellington), John Dempsey (Northern Districts), Richard Hooper (Central Districts), Kannan Jagannathan (Otago), Damian Morrow (Northern Districts), Peter Pasco (Otago), Eugene Sanders (Canterbury), Garth Stirrat (Wellington), Glenn Walklin (Central Districts), Diana Venter (Auckland).