Irish Women Being Backed In Bid To Retain Elite Status

Professionalism in women’s cricket is contagious and Ireland are determined not to be left behind. That progress is manifesting itself in a variety of ways, big and small, both on and off the field – including officiating.

It may not sound like a major deal for a second woman to be added to Cricket Ireland’s umpiring panel, but it typifies the attitude through the sport in the Emerald Isle that in the decade ahead, women in the game have the chance to make the very same advances that the men have since the 2007 World Cup.

The existing woman on that panel of 16 happens to also be the national wicketkeeper, Mary Waldron, who has played 88 games for her country since 2010.

In Adelaide during the Australian summer, she was a member of the first all-women duo making the decisions in a first XI men’s game.

“I have felt really supported,” Waldron told The Cricket Paper.

“On the playing side the men are getting more and you feel hard done-by but with umpiring I have never felt like my gender has held me back at all, and I can see a genuine pathway.”

With a multi-speed economy emerging in elite women’s cricket, Irish administrators are mindful of the quick progress required to stay in touch.

This was detailed persuasively by Laura Delany, captain of the national side, at the World T20 in November when she emotionally lamented their amateur status.

The good news is that part-time contracts are on their way for the summer ahead. As Warren Deutrom, the mainstay Chief Executive of Cricket Ireland, explains, there are encouraging parallels to the men’s story to be found.