First Female EAP Umpire takes to the field in Alice Springs
Helen Atai from Papua New Guinea made history last week when she became the first female umpire to travel abroad and represent the East Asia-Pacific region.
Atai was appointed to the women's division of the Imparja Cup, which is Cricket Australia's annual Indigenous cricket carnival in Alice Springs. Not only did she umpire four round games and both semi-finals, she also received the added benefit of being mentored throughout the week by former Test umpire Daryl Harper.
"This exposure is definitely the highlight of my umpiring career, and stands equally alongside my best playing moment when making the PNG Lewas teams in 2006 and 2009," said Atai. "This experience has given me more drive and enthusiasm and I urge all people interested in cricket both male and female to take up umpiring - it is and can be very rewarding."
Mentor umpire Daryl Harper was full of praise for Atai's first appointment in a full member tournament and believes that she has plenty of potential to progress through the umpiring ranks in the region.
Atai hopes to use what she learned at the tournament to improve her own umpiring back in Port Moresby and also share her new knowledge and skills with other umpires in PNG.
A member of the EAP Development Umpires Panel, Atai is one of two umpires in the EAP region to receive a scholarship for 2013 to fast track her readiness for international competition.
She began her umpiring career in PNG in 2006 and has been umpiring junior, men's and women's competitions in Port Moresby ever since. She was also a member of the PNG national women's cricket team in 2006 and 2008 and still plays club cricket in Port Moresby.
As part of her scholarship, Atai will also have the opportunity to officiate in the Pepsi ICC EAP Under 19 Championship on the Sunshine Coast in Australia later this year. Fellow scholarship holder, Mervyn McGoon from Fiji, will also attend that tournament where both umpires will have an opportunity to learn from more experienced members of the Development Panel, and work with EAP Umpires Consultant, Bob Parry.
The ICC EAP regional office hopes that Atai's appointment to the EAP Development Umpires Panel will inspire more women to become involved in umpiring in the region, and will lead to the first female umpire on the EAP Umpires Panel.
There are currently seven members on the EAP Development Umpires Panel ad nine members on the EAP Umpires Panel, including Shahul Hameed from Indonesia who recently umpired in the ICC Women's World Cup in Sri Lanka.