“It’s obviously a very emotional time but I’m very proud of what I have achieved,” Waldron said in a statement. “I want to say a huge thank you to staff and coaches at Cricket Ireland for the opportunity to represent my country, and to Pembroke and Malahide for shaping my journey and supporting me all the way.”
“Being someone who came relatively late to cricket, it’s incredible how she learned quickly, and how insightful and incisive she became. Her ability to read the game, quickly analyse a situation or to spot a fielding change was welcomed by successive captains.”
While playing in Tasmania in 2015, Waldron got interested in umpiring and, in 2018, became the first woman to umpire in a men’s List A match. She and Eloise Sheridan later became the first women to officiate in men’s first grade cricket in Australia in 2019.
“To have a great wicketkeeper in your side is an asset – but to also have a great analytical brain being able to assess circumstances of the game from behind the stumps is a godsend, and I know she has helped me to become a better leader through our many on-field and off-field conversations.”