Image Source- ECB
After been chosen to oversee the LV= Insurance County
Championship game between Glamorgan and Derbyshire in Cardiff, Sue Redfern will
become the first female umpire to stand in a men’s first-class match in England
and Wales.
Redfern made history by being the fourth umpire in a
men’s T20 international, also at Cardiff in 2021, and by becoming the first
woman to stand in a Vitality Blast game in June. Redfern became the first
full-time professional female umpire on the ECB roster last year.
“I have worked hard to earn this opportunity and
I look forward to taking the next step in my career by umpiring a men’s
first-class match,” Redfern said. “That has been an ambition of mine
for a long time and, while it is a new challenge that will test me, I know that
I am ready for it.
“Umpiring has become such a fulfilling part of my
life and while my focus is on being the best umpire I can be, I hope my journey
can also be an inspiration to others.
“When I started umpiring I had to balance other
work commitments with my umpiring, but it is now a career I can solely focus
on. I am proud of the steps I have taken and that I am proving that
opportunities now exist in umpiring for anyone if they’re willing to work hard
and dedicate themselves.”