A Worcestershire scorer has been recognised on the international stage after being invited to officiate at the opening Test match of the summer.
Sue Drinkwater was invited to Lord’s to score the match between England and New Zealand, marking a career milestone in her nearly two decades of service to the game.
She first took her place in the New Road scorebox in 2008 to officiate an England Under-19s match against New Zealand and has since scored more than 450 matches across all formats.
She said: "I had previously scored a game at Lords back in 2017, but it is down to the host venue to supply the scorers, so when the chance comes around, they tend to offer opportunities to the scorers at clubs who are non-test venues.
"The Lords got in contact with me at the start of the summer to let me know I had been selected, which was very exciting, of course.
"I travelled up on the morning of the match, but the untimely Tube strikes made my journey slightly more interesting than it should have been."
She explained the differences in scoring at the international level compared to county matches.
"The strange thing about scoring England compared to a county side is the lack of communication you have with the on-field umpires.
"So at New Road, for example, we can radio in to the standing officials and ask any questions we may have, whereas during the Test match we are totally separate from the officials and have to go through the fourth umpire.
"That adds another layer of complexity when you are trying to deal with player reviews, extra deliveries, rain delays, etc.
"During the Test, there were 17 player reviews and two umpire reviews, so we had plenty to look out for."
At the end of the Test, Ms Drinkwater received a special memento to mark the occasion.
She said: "A few things have changed since I was last there, but one thing that really stood out to me was the medal I was awarded on the last day.
"It is a new thing, where the chief executive of the MCC comes to the scorebox and personally hands you an engraved medal, alongside a little note to thank you for your contribution to the Test match.
"That was very poignant and is a keepsake I will treasure. As scorers, you are often forgotten, so that was a lovely touch."
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