The world's first female umpire on ICC- Kathy Cross
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced o
30-01-2014 that New Zealand’s Kathy Cross has become the first female to be
named in an ICC umpires panel, when she was added to the ICC Associate and
Affiliate Panel of International Umpires for 2014 following the annual review
and selection process.
Cross and Nigel Morrison have joined Sameer Bandekar,
Mark Hawthorne, Wynand Louw, David Odhiambo, Buddhi Pradhan, Sarika Siva
Prasad, Richard Smith, Ian Ramage and Courtney Young in the panel for 2014.
The 56-year-old Cross was born in Taumarunui, King
Country, and is now eligible for appointments to ICC World Cricket League
Divisions 3 to 6, in addition to women’s cricket.
Cross has previously officiated in the ICC Women’s World Cup in Australia in 2009 and in India in 2013, as well as the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2011 in Bangladesh and the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013 in Ireland. She is a member of the New Zealand Cricket Reserve Panel 2013-14, and was thrilled with her induction into the panel.
"I am absolutely delighted to have been selected to
the ICC Associate and Affiliate Panel of International Umpires. Being the first
woman on the panel is a great honor and I look forward to the opportunities
this selection will afford me, and to working with the Associate and Affiliate
panel."
Her appointment is another significant milestone in the
ICC’s Females in World Cricket Strategy and will hopefully lead to more high
level female officials coming through the ranks.