Major League Cricket 2023 in USA: The Full List Of Match Officials For Inaugural MLC

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Major League Cricket (MLC) on Thursday (June 29) announced the panel of 11 match officials for America's first-ever professional franchise cricket league, set to launch on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

Nine umpires and two match referees will be part of an experienced group of officials for the 19 matches set to take place at two cricket-specific venues in North Texas and North Carolina leading up to the championship match on Sunday, July 30.

The group of match officials for inaugural edition of MLC includes three umpires who currently serve on the ICC International Panel of Umpires: Wayne Knights, Paul Wilson and Ruchira Palliyaguru.

Four US-based umpires - Jermaine Lindo, Rushane Samuels, Vijaya Prakash Mallela and Billy Taylor - comprise the remainder of the group, with Lindo and Mallela both currently serving on the International Panel of ICC Development Umpires.

Taylor, who has recently relocated to the United States from his native England, has served on the English Cricket's Board's Full Umpires List. He will also serve as the on-field umpire or TV umpire alongside the aforementioned names.

Leading the match official team is Simon Taufel, five-time ICC Umpire of the Year, who will serve as a Match Referee along with Reon King, who currently serves on the International Panel of ICC Match Referees.

Completing the crew of match officials for the Major League Cricket 2023 tournament are: Owen Brown and Colin Edwards, who will both perform fourth umpire duties throughout the tournament.

MLC 2023 Match Officials List

"The umpire crew forms a critical component of the game and we are delighted to welcome an experienced group that includes some of the best officials in the world," said Justin Geale, Tournament Director, Major League Cricket.

"Our league will provide a platform for domestic umpires to officiate in high-level competition watched by a global audience. We're really pleased that two umpires who have performed with distinction in Minor League Cricket over the past two seasons will also be part of the Playing Control Team performing fourth umpire duties."

"The cricket world will be watching this historic event and the "seventh team" in MLC - our match officials' group - is focused on performing to the highest standard with a quality mix of international and domestic-based umpires," said Simon Taufel.

"I'm looking forward to bringing my experience to the event and assisting in the development of umpiring in the United States."

Source: Media Release