SA20 appoints first female umpire
The first woman set to umpire at the SA20 was also the youngest to officiate an international match.
Lauren Agenbag is set to become the first woman to umpire in the SA20.
The 26-year-old was one of 15 umpires named for the 2024 season, which starts in Gqeberha on Wednesday.
Agenbag is a trailblazer in the umpiring world after this season becoming the first woman to be appointed to the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Elite Umpires Panel, whose officials oversee all senior provincial domestic matches.
Agenbag is the youngest to officiate an international match, making her debut as a 22-year-old in a women’s T20I between South Africa and Sri Lanka in 2019. She also stood in the 2021 Women’s Cricket World Cup final between Australia and England in New Zealand.
Another woman, Shandre Fritz, has been named as a match referee. Fritz and Agenbag formed part of the first all-female panel of match officials for the T20 Women’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa last year.
The SA20 umpires panel also includes former ICC Umpire of the Year Marais Erasmus, who officiated in the 2022 and 2021 T20 world cup finals, as well as the 2019 world cup final at Lord’s.
Adrian Holdstock, Allahudien Paleker and Bongani Jele were not available for the SA20 round-robin matches due to ICC commitments, but will be considered for the playoff matches subject to availability.
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