The 2025/26 Contracted Umpires Panel (CACUP) is ready to go this season. With three positions to fill on the CACUP for season 2025/26, CA has the pleasure of welcoming Mitch Claydon, Chris Grant and Riki Wessels onto the panel. All three are highly credentialed umpires with years of development and experience under their belts.
Mitchell Claydon is a former First-Class cricketer who played 113 matches across Yorkshire, Durham, Kent, and Sussex, as well as in New Zealand, and featured in 110 List-A games. His playing career also included time in Sydney Grade Cricket with Campbelltown-Camden. After retiring, Claydon transitioned into coaching, joining the Sydney Sixers' BBL staff, before beginning his umpiring journey in the 2019–20 season in the Sydney Premier Competition. That same season, he officiated at the CA Under 15 Male National Championships. Post-COVID, Claydon continued to rise through the ranks, standing in the finals of both the Under 17 and Under 19 Male National Championships, and earning a spot on the Cricket NSW State & Territory Umpire Panel for 2023–24. His recent achievements include officiating in the Weber WBBL, WNCL, Toyota Second XI, and serving as Fourth Umpire in the KFC BBL.
Chris Grant began his umpiring career in the 2016–17 season after a 20-year playing career with Melbourne University and Richmond in Victorian Premier Cricket. He made his First XI umpiring debut in 2017–18 and became a regular the following season. In 2020–21, Grant was appointed to the Victorian State & Territory Umpire Panel and debuted in the WNCL. His progression continued with a Toyota Second XI debut and an appointment to the CA Under 19 Female National Championships Final in 2021–22, alongside Fourth Umpire duties in KFC BBL11 and his first on-field appearance in the Victorian Premier Cricket First XI Grand Final. Ahead of the 2022–23 season, he completed the CA Level 3 High Performance Officiating Accreditation and went on to debut in the Weber WBBL, officiate in the CA Under 19 Male National Championships Semi-Final, and stand in another Premier Cricket Grand Final. In 2023–24, Grant officiated the Under 19 Male National Championships Final with Mitch Claydon and again stood in the Premier Cricket Grand Final. Most recently, he made his TV Umpire debut in the Weber WBBL and was appointed on-field to the Premier Cricket Grand Final for a third time.
Riki Wessels is a former First-Class cricketer who played 224 matches for Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, and Worcestershire, with additional experience in Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, and 179 List-A matches. He also featured in nine games for the Sydney Sixers during the KFC BBL05 season. After retiring in 2022, Wessels returned to Brisbane and began umpiring in Queensland Premier Cricket, earning a place on the Queensland State & Territory Umpire Panel for the 2023–24 season, where he made his First-Grade debut. That season included appointments to the CA Under 17 Male National Championships—where he officiated the Final—and debuts in both the WNCL and Weber WBBL. His standout performances earned him the Mel Johnson Trophy and Bruce Oxenford Award as Queensland’s top First-Grade umpire. In 2024–25, Wessels debuted in the Toyota Second XI and officiated the CA Under 19 Male National Championships Final alongside Mitch Claydon. He also made his TV Umpire debut in the Weber WBBL and was appointed on-field for the Queensland Premier Cricket First-Grade Final. His achievements were capped off with Queensland Cricket’s Match Official of the Year award.
Simon Lightbody retired from the panel following the round 8 Sheffield Shield match between NSW and Victoria at the SCG last season, while Greg Davidson and David Taylor were not offered contracts. Cricket Australia thanks Simon, Greg and David for their contribution to Australian Cricket and wishes them well in the next phase of their lives.
CA are delighted to have Mitch, Chris and Riki a part for the panel for season 2025/26 and wish the three of them the very best in their Cricket Australia umpiring journeys. Below is the full list of umpires, along with their umpire association and junior cricket clubs.