National first for SA female umpiring team

Eloise Sheridan and Mary Waldron are set to become the first all-female on-field umpiring team to officiate a Men’s First Grade Premier Cricket match in Australia.



The two-day match, beginning this Saturday, will see the duo make history in what is a groundbreaking achievement.



Sheridan has marked a string of significant milestones across the last 18 months when she became the first woman to umpire a West End Men’s First Grade match in South Australia, and then the first woman in the State to stand in a Men's First Grade final.



Alongside New South Wales' Claire Polosak, Sheridan was also part of the first all-female on-field umpiring team to officiate in a WBBL match in a clash between the Adelaide Strikers and the Melbourne Stars at Adelaide Oval in December.



Fresh off the back of playing in Ireland’s ICC World T20 campaign, Waldron re-joined the SACA umpiring ranks for 2018-19 for her third season in SA, following a brief stint in Tasmania in 2015-16.



The Irishwoman also plays for Port Adelaide Cricket Club in the Statewide Super First Grade competition and this will be her first opportunity to umpire a Men's First Grade match.



SACA State Umpire Coach Daniel Goodwin is proud to see South Australia leading the way for female umpires.



“To have so many firsts for female umpires in our State in recent times has been wonderful to see,” Goodwin said.



“This achievement for Eloise and Mary is very significant as an Australian first and speaks volumes about how hard they have both worked on their development over the past few seasons.



“Our umpires are all appointed to matches on merit and both women are very deserving of the position they are in and the opportunities that are being presented to umpire high-level games.”



Sheridan and Waldron will umpire the two-day match between Tea Tree Gully and Northern Districts at Pertaringa Oval, taking place on Saturday 16 February and Saturday 23 February.