England's Sue Redfearn will become the first female neutral umpire appointed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to stand in a bilateral series after being named for the upcoming ICC Women's Championship and T20 ties between Australia and South Africa.
Su's appointment follows the ICC's decision to appoint a neutral umpire for all ICC Women's Championship series as well as any T20 match between two equal opponents. The move will ensure some neutrality in officiating matches while keeping in mind the long-term development of women umpires.
Sue Redfern: at a glance
Sue played six Tests and 15 ODIs for England between 1995 and 1999, including four matches in the 1997 Women's ODI World Cup in India. Following the end of his playing career, Su has been on the ICC Development Panel of Umpires since 2016. She has umpired in two ICC Women's ODI Cricket World Cups (2017 and 2022) and three ICC Women's T20 World Cups (2018, 2022 and 2024).
The ICC said it would give preference to female officials for the role of neutral umpires in the ICC Women's Championship series. Women umpires appointed by the ICC will receive match day pay parity with their male counterparts in the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires and comparable allowances.
Female neutral umpires will be selected on merit and more of them will find themselves on the ICC International Panel of Umpires in the coming years, as part of the ICC's strategic plan to advance the participation and visibility of women within the game and off the field. Part of the ambition.