Paul Wilson promoted to national umpires panel

Paul Wilson, the former Test fast bowler, has been added to Cricket Australia's national umpires panel for 2010-11. The promotion of Wilson, 38, continues Australia's trend of encouraging former first-class players to join the umpiring ranks.

Rod Tucker, who captained Tasmania in the 1990s, has steadily progressed to international level and officiated in his first Tests earlier this year. The former Test seamer Paul Reiffel has also been a project umpire for Cricket Australia for several years and has now stood in three one-day internationals and four Twenty20 internationals.

Wilson has had a taste of umpiring state cricket, having been in the middle for two Sheffield Shield games last summer, as well as a handful of limited-overs outings. A hardworking fast man who played one Test and 11 one-day internationals in 1997-98, Wilson has taken the place of his fellow Western Australian Jeff Brookes on the 12-man panel.

"Paul Wilson's elevation to the national umpires panel demonstrates Cricket Australia's commitment to provide opportunities for past players to continue their involvement in cricket after retirement," James Sutherland, the CEO of Cricket Australia, said. "Paul deserves his promotion after a number of years on the project panel and we look forward to his continuing development and progress along the umpiring pathway in the coming seasons."

National umpires panel Gerard Abood (NSW), Simon Fry (SA), Geoff Joshua (Vic), Ian Lock (WA), Mick Martell (WA), Bruce Oxenford (Qld), Bob Parry (Vic), Paul Reiffel (Qld), Rod Tucker (NSW), John Ward (Vic), Tony Ward (Vic), Paul Wilson (WA).