Sue Redfern: Umpire makes history at County Championship match at Glamorgan | Cricket News

Derbyshire dominated the first day’s play as umpire Sue Redfern made history in
the LV= County Championship fixture at Glamorgan.

Redfern became the first woman to stand as an umpire in a men’s first-class match in England and Wales as she joined Graham Lloyd in the middle for the Division Two clash.

Luis Reece made an unbeaten 139 and it was Lloyd who confirmed the wickets of Harry Came and Brooke Guest as the visitors reached 308 for two.

Guest made 96 and put on 180 for the second wicket with Reece, who had captain Leus du Plooy for company on 22 not out at stumps.

Glamorgan used seven bowlers, each sending down at least 10 overs, on a frustrating day in the field. Zain-ul-Hassan and James Harris were the only two to get their names in the wickets column.

Came and Reece put on 80 for the first wicket in sunny conditions but on a green pitch, occupying the majority of the morning session.

They each got up and running with early boundaries off Timm van der Gugten before Reece dispatched Andy Gorvin’s first two deliveries to the fence.

The 50 partnership came up in 16 overs, Reece with 33 of those runs, and the scoring rate began to quicken in the ensuing overs.

But Came, on 32, reached away from his body to drive at Ul-Hassan’s first delivery and edged low to wicketkeeper Chris Cooke, who took a good diving catch.

Reece’s half-century came up from 74 balls when he punched Dan Douthwaite through the off side for his eighth four. Guest did likewise to Ul-Hassan to bring up Derbyshire’s hundred.

Guest drove and pulled Van der Gugten for two fours in three balls and hit eight boundaries on his way to an 85-ball half-century.

Reece swept a Kiran Carlson full toss to the rope to bring up the century partnership and the team’s 200 soon followed.

Redfern signalled the first six of the match as Reece skipped down to loft Carlson over long-on before the second, smashed down the ground by Guest off the same bowler, took Derbyshire to 250.

Harris removed Guest lbw one blow short of his century with a ball that appeared to keep slightly low. Guest faced 162 balls and hit 12 fours and a six.

Du Plooy was quickly into his stride with boundaries off Harris and Van der Gugten before fellow left-hander Reece brought up the 300 by working Harris into the leg side.

Reece faced 269 balls over the course of the day, with 16 fours and a six to his name and the partnership two short of a half-century at stumps.

Who is Sue Redfern?

The 45-year-old joined the Professional Umpires Team, the ECB’s group of elite officials, in 2022 and is eligible to stand in men’s and women’s professional matches.

Redfern played for England between 1995 and 1999 earning 21 caps and has umpired in six major global tournaments including the 2022 Commonwealth Games, three ICC Women’s T20 World Cups and two ICC Women’s World Cups.

In 2023, Redfern was the first female umpire to officiate a Vitality Blast match between Gloucestershire and Middlesex in Bristol.

Two years ago, Redfern also made history at Cardiff when she was the first female umpire to stand in for a home England men’s match.

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