Sue Redfern, who participated in the 1997 ODI World Cup team and played 21 times for England, will make history on September 26 when she officiates a County Championship Division Two match between Glamorgan and Derbyshire at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
In the one-off Women’s Ashes Test earlier this year, she served as an umpire. Redfern expressed her joy and explained what it meant to her as she prepared to enter history books.
It has long been a goal of mine, and even though it will be a challenge, I am confident that I am up for it. I put a lot of effort into obtaining this chance, and I am eager to advance in my career. She was reported by ESPNcricinfo as saying, “I hope that my experience might also serve as an example to others.
“Because umpiring has become such a rewarding part of my life, I hope that by sharing my story with others, in addition to focusing on becoming the greatest umpire I can be. When I first began umpiring, I had to juggle it with my other professional obligations, but now I can devote all of my attention to it. I am proud of the steps I have taken and of showing that opportunities in umpiring now exist for anyone who is prepared to work hard and put their all into it, she continued.
It’s interesting to note that Redfern made history in Cardiff in 2021 by being the first female official to oversee a home England men’s game. She served as the T20I match’s fourth umpire against Sri Lanka. Earlier this year, the 45-year-old made history as the first female umpire during a T20 Blast match between Middlesex and Gloucestershire.
In addition, Redfern has served as an umpire at international competitions like the Commonwealth Games in 2022, women’s T20 World Cups, and women’s ODI World Cups. She earned the distinction of officiating first-class cricket in England after being appointed to the Professional Umpires’ Team the previous year.
On the points chart, Glamorgan and Derbyshire are ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. With Derbyshire presently facing Sussex at home, there are 35 points separating them. On the other side, Glamorgan and Yorkshire drew their most recent match in Cardiff.
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