England’s Sue Redfern is set to break barriers as the inaugural female neutral umpire appointed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the upcoming ICC Women’s Championship and T20I series between Australia and South Africa. Redfern, expressing her excitement, sees this landmark appointment as a defining moment for women’s cricket and female cricket officials globally.
The ICC’s decision to have one neutral umpire for all ICC Women’s Championship series and T20Is involving the same opponents aims to bring neutrality to the matches and contribute to the long-term development of female umpires. Sue Redfern, a former England player, has been part of the ICC Development Panel of Umpires since 2016 and has officiated in multiple ICC Women’s ODI and T20 World Cups.
The move signifies a shift in recognising and supporting female officials worldwide, with the ICC emphasizing the prioritization of female officials in neutral umpire roles. These umpires will receive match-day pay parity and comparable perks to their male counterparts on the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, aligning with the ICC’s strategic commitment to advancing women’s involvement both on and off the field.
ICC’s General Manager of Cricket, Wasim Khan, sees this as a watershed moment for women’s cricket, highlighting the importance of implementing a female match officials’ pathway program and accelerating officiating opportunities for top performers. The move aims to provide exposure to female umpires in different conditions, fostering their learning and development while creating more opportunities for women in the cricketing world.