Youngest international cricket umpire celebrates BTec double distinction

The youngest person to umpire an international cricket match is celebrating after achieving a double distinction in her BTec course.

Scarlett Hale, 19, made history last year when she umpired eight matches during the international Kwibuka Women’s T20 tournament in Rwanda, including the opening and final fixture.

She has been involved in cricket for 11 years and turned her hand to umpiring after an injury hampered her professional playing ambitions.

The sportswoman joined Millfield School in Street, Somerset, in year 10 as a day student and has now achieved a double distinction in BTec enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Miss Hale, formerly of Hampshire, paid tribute to the school which has a cricket centre.

She said: “I got injured the year I joined Millfield and was out of play for nine months, in that time I realised that I wouldn’t make it professionally playing.

“I decided to continue playing cricket for the school and to pursue umpiring further with the support of the Millfield cricket department.”

Miss Hale joined Basingstoke Cricket Club at the age of eight and began umpiring after joining the Hampshire Cricket Board’s Champions programme in 2018.

By the age of 12, she had officiated her first game and progressed to umpire district cricket, festivals, county age groups and then national finals.

In 2022, she became the first female under-18 to umpire a men’s Hampshire Cricket League fixture.

She will now embark on an adventure in Australia to umpire for a season, followed by a season in the UK where she hopes to secure a professional umpiring contract.

The following year, she will travel to New Zealand to umpire – continuing to coach and play cricket on the side.

Miss Hale said she hopes to return to coach on the Millfield cricket programme in the future.

She added: “The cricket department as a whole has been incredible and particularly the girls’ team.

“No matter the year group, we are all very good friends. I also feel I have really good relationships with the coaches, and I can go to them with anything. I will really miss it when I leave.”