Women being courted to get into cricket umpiring

A former West Indies bowler is encouraging more Vincentian women to pursue cricket umpiring, as there is a need for such persons, especially with the growth of the women’s game.

Phernel Charles, a former St Vincent and the Grenadines and West Indies medium fast bowler, who now resides in Brooklyn, New York, underscored the need for female cricketers who are nearing the end of their career, to choose umpiring.

“There is a lot of room for females in umpiring, so I hope that others at home will take up the opportunities and especially those who have played the game… It is much easier when you are out there in the middle, being an umpire,” said Charles, who is a certified US Cricket umpire.

She therefore would like others to follow in her footsteps.

“I am happy Maria [Abbott] is moving up in Cricket, to the level of going to tournaments in South Africa and other places… I saw Cordel [Jack] doing some umpiring and I am encouraging her, along with persons like Sandra Samuel and Shevorn Clarke, because even though you stop playing the game, you can still contribute and keep the game alive,” Charles advised.

Charles, who started her career in umpiring here in her native St Vincent and the Grenadines before migrating in 2019, said that she has blossomed since.

“ I have since done my West Indies umpiring exams and was successful… I have my oral exams to do in October,” she related.

She however owes a debt of gratitude to some of the senior umpires from whom she learned.

“ I must say that I would have learnt a lot just by watching umpires like Goaland [Greaves] and Eddie [Williams] and have picked up a few tips from them and I’m using what I have learnt to good effect now,” Charles disclosed.

At present, Charles juggles between her regular job and giving her services to the sport, as she umpires mainly in the New York Metropolitan Cricket League.