How’s that, madam?

Press, 30 March 1989, Page 18

How’s that, madam?

LONDON The new chairman of the Association of Cricket Umpires could ruffle a few feathers at Lord’s... when SHE walks in!

Sheila Hill, 60, will need to visit the home of cricket at regular intervals to carry out her duties after being elected to the post by a substantial majority. As many members of the fairer sex have discovered, Lord’s and ladies hardly mix — particularly in the pavilion where women are not allowed on match days.

But Sheila, who has umpired throughout the cricket world, mostly in matches between women’s teams, is not looking for a fight "p don’t think of myself

as a pioneer for women’s rights,” she said. “I don’t even want to be called chairperson and I’m not looking for a confrontation with Lord’s.”

But, like any good umpire, Sheila knows when to be firm. "Cricket can be a male chauvinist bastion in some quarters and if I have to challenge that idea to carry out my duties as chairman properly then I will,” she said.

"I just think of myself as me, a person who loves cricket and gets pleasure from being involved in it.” At least Sheila knows that old barriers are gradually being broken down at Lord’s.

Earlier this year, the MCC appointed a female public relations consultant to smarten up its image.