By stepping onto the field to umpire Notts Outlaws’ clash against Durham at Grantham, Sue Redfern extended her list of ever growing achievements in the game.
Having begun her cricket playing journey - one which culminated in international appearances - in Nottinghamshire, her transition into officiating began in the West Midlands.
Now, in her tenth year as an umpire, she has added standing in Men’s List A cricket to her curriculum vitae, a list which already includes the ICC World Cricket League, Women’s World Cup and The Hundred.
An inconspicuous role is, they say, a marker of a good performance, and the Mansfield-born umpire was pleased to get through the game without a hitch as the Outlaws ran out victors by two wickets.
It was important, Redfern claimed, to validate her standing in such an environment given the high standards she sets herself.
“The game went well; I’m just glad it’s over!” she laughed.
“I was a little nervous, but I'm really pleased with how it went. It was a good, tight game played in good spirits.
“I am very ambitious, and my aspiration is to umpire as high as possible. Every game is as important as the next, and you want to do well, particularly when it is a new environment.
“There is a bit of extra pressure because you don’t want to let yourself down, or others down who have put their faith in you.”
Equally crucial, however, is the trail Redfern is blazing as a female umpire in a male-dominated profession.
She is a role model for those looking on, an example of bucking the trend for the betterment of the game.
You can’t be what you can’t see, she summarises.
“We talk about growing the game and making it accessible for everybody,” she explained, “It’s important for girls to see that anything is possible.
“Umpiring in this environment, people are seeing females and changing their perceptions. Hopefully that is a positive.
“It is important to show that anyone can do whatever they want to do. People ask me why I want to umpire men’s cricket, but I just want to umpire at the highest level I can, whether that's men’s or women’s.
“Men’s cricket is a different challenge for me. Not any higher or lower, it is just different. It is important that you are not stereotyped into a particular role just because you are female, it is down to the individual what they want to do and whether they are good enough.”
As an advocate for individuals pursuing their passion, Redfern speaks highly of governing body-backed courses, from a simple Laws Course through to the upper echelons of the umpiring pathway.
It needn’t just be for to-be officials either, with such enrollment benefiting all those involved in the game.
“Absolutely, go and do courses,” she advised.
“Even if you are not thinking about being a regular umpire, understanding a bit more about the game really helps you as a player.
“For some women, they like to do courses in a female-only environment, and there are some of those available. There are opportunities for anyone and everyone, and that’s the way it should be.”
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For more information on umpiring courses, please contact questions@nottsccc.co.uk