Another notch in the belt for Klaaste

KNYSNA NEWS – Local cricket umpire Kerrin Klaaste continues to make her way up the ranks, having recently been announced as one of the umpires who will officiate during the 2022 Varsity Cup - something she sees as a monumental moment in her career.

"It's by far the biggest opportunity I'll get to showcase my capabilities within a high-pressure environment. So much could come from a tournament as prestigious as this," Klaaste said, overjoyed about the news.

She will only be the second female umpire, after Lauren Agenbag, to stand as an umpire during the men's varsity cup, which will be held early in October in Pretoria.

The competition could act as a catalyst for another sensational season for Klaaste.

"It would kick-start my season and hopefully I'm able to start on a really good note and continue with that momentum as the season progresses. I'm hoping and praying that it leads to more opportunities," she said.

"This tournament would be the first time that the majority of us are exposed to live televised games where the stakes are higher than general streaming on other platforms, so in the event that I'm given the opportunity to umpire in one of those games, I look forward to giving my absolute best."

Kerrin Klaaste signals a wide during an SWD Cricket Reserve League game.
Photo: Blake Linder

Last season Klaaste seemed to break a record every time she set foot on the field. In the single season, she became the first woman to umpire in a men's SWD Cricket final (SWD T20 Competition final); she was the first woman to umpire in the men's SWD Premier League; she officiated in the SWD Women's League final; she umpired in the CSA Women's Week in October, the CSA USSA A and Khaya Majola U19 weeks in December and the CSA T20 Community Cup in April.

At the latter three, all of which are national competitions, Klaaste was the only female umpire.

This led to her being named SWD Premier League Umpire of the Season, and moreover the overall SWD Cricket Umpire of the Season – the first woman to ever receive both of these awards.

When it comes to goals and/or hopes that Klaaste has for Varsity Cup, one specific thing came to mind. "We will potentially be working with some established umpires from the CSA panel, so it would be phenomenal if I got a chance to stand a game or two with them and learn in the process," she said.

Kerrin Klaaste with her haul of awards from the SWD Cricket Umpires' Association's awards for the 2021/22 season.