Anu, Shiny set to rule the game of cricket

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In sports, there is no bigger challenge than being a first timer and having no predecessors to inspire or guide you.

Faced with a daunting task of setting example to the Gen-next are two Kerala women who are set to begin their career as umpires — a path never taken before in the State.

Anu D. Sha and Shiny Susan Mathew, two former cricketers, have qualified the preliminary round for becoming Level-1 BCCI umpires and these women will be ready to officiate national matches after December this year.

They, along with 17 other women candidates from other States, successfully completed a four-day umpiring course earlier this year. The duo got their first taste of their job during a State senior women’s inter-districts match in Kollam on Monday.

“I played with the State team till last year and after stepping down it was quite accidental that the opportunity came by. There were four of us who took the prelims and me and Shiny qualified,” says Anu.

“It is not like being a player,. You have to be unbiased and take bold decisions. After attending the course and standing in for a few district matches, I am confident now,” says the Kollam girl.
Shiny, a mother of two, with her never-say-never attitude, is definitely an inspiration to a lot of other former women cricketers.

“I played between 1987 to 1995 and after my marriage I hung up my boots. I had never thought there would be a second coming, but the support from my family has been encouraging,” says Shiny, who hails from Thiruvana-nthapuram.

The two women are certain that they have a long way ahead and that it is important to stay strong.
“It is a challenge and we believe we have a duty of inspiring other women. Even though cricket is becoming popular among women, not many are sure how to go about with their post playing days,” says Shiny.

Both the women would have had never thought that cricket would have such an influence in their lives.