Redfern to add another first by standing in County Championship fixture
Will become the first female standing umpire in men's first-class cricket in England and Wales
ESPNcricinfo staff
22-Sep-2023
Sue Redfern umpiring during the women's Hundred • ECB/Getty Images
Sue Redfern will become the first female umpire to stand in a men's first-class match in England and Wales after being appointed to officiate the LV= Insurance County Championship match between Glamorgan and Derbyshire in Cardiff.
Redfern, who became the first full-time professional female umpire on the ECB list last year, has previously made history by serving as the fourth umpire in a men's T20 international, also at Cardiff in 2021, and becoming the first woman to stand in a Vitality Blast match in June.
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"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."