{{short description|South African cricket umpire (born 1996)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Lauren Agenbag | image = | country = South Africa | fullname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|8|16|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Centurion, Gauteng|Centurion]], South Africa | death_date = | death_place = | batting = | role = Umpire | umpire = true | t20isumpired = 11 | umpt20idebutyr = 2022 | umpt20ilastyr = 2023 | wtestsumpired = 1 | umpwtestdebutyr = 2024 | umpwtestlastyr = | wodisumpired = 34 | umpwodidebutyr = 2021 | umpwodilastyr = 2026 | wt20isumpired = 87 | umpwt20idebutyr = 2019 | umpwt20ilastyr = 2026 | date = 24 December 2023 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1072118.html Cricinfo }} '''Lauren Agenbag''' (born 16 August 1996) is a South African [[umpire (cricket)|cricket umpire]].<ref name="Bio">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1072118.html |title=Lauren Agenbag |access-date=1 February 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}</ref> Since February 2019, she has set several firsts in regard to women's umpiring in international and domestic cricket matches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricket.co.za/news/35822/Lauren-Agenbag-A-flag-bearer-for-female-umpires |title=Lauren Agenbag – A flag bearer for female umpires |work=Cricket South Africa |access-date=6 August 2020 |archive-date=18 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918131637/http://cricket.co.za/news/35822/Lauren-Agenbag-A-flag-bearer-for-female-umpires |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Career== On 1 February 2019, Agenbag stood in the opening [[Women's Twenty20 International]] (WT20I) match between [[Sri Lanka women's cricket team in South Africa in 2018–19|South Africa and Sri Lanka]], at [[Newlands Cricket Ground]] in [[Cape Town]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1168160.html |title=1st T20I, Sri Lanka Women tour of South Africa at Cape Town, Feb 1 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=1 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://latest-today-news.com/2019/02/01/lauren-agenbag-the-primary-sa-girl-to-umpire-in-a-t20i-newpaper24/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202171529/https://latest-today-news.com/2019/02/01/lauren-agenbag-the-primary-sa-girl-to-umpire-in-a-t20i-newpaper24/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2 February 2019 |title=Lauren Agenbag, the primary SA girl to umpire in a T20I |work=Latest News Today |access-date=2 February 2019}}</ref> In doing so, she became the first South African woman to umpire a T20I match.<ref name="CI">{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/25899926/lauren-agenbag-first-south-african-woman-umpire-t20i |title=Lauren Agenbag, the first SA woman to umpire in a T20I |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=1 February 2019}}</ref> The [[International Cricket Council]] (ICC) does not have official records, but at the age of 22 years, she is also believed to be the youngest person to umpire in an international cricket fixture, since [[George Coulthard]] did so [[English cricket team in Australia and New Zealand in 1878–79#Only Test|in Australia]] in January 1879, also at age 22.<ref name="CI"/>
[[Cricket South Africa]]'s Chief Executive, Thabang Moroe, praised Agenbag, saying "this is a very significant moment for umpiring in South Africa".<ref name="CI"/> [[Dane van Niekerk]], captain of [[South Africa women's national cricket team|South Africa's women's team]] also praised Agenbag, saying "she held her own and it's awesome to a see a woman out there doing really well".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.womenscriczone.com/lauren-agenbag-becomes-the-first-sa-woman-to-umpire-in-a-t20i/ |title=Lauren Agenbag becomes the first SA Woman to umpire in a T20I |work=Women's CricZone |access-date=18 February 2019 |archive-date=1 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201122431/https://www.womenscriczone.com/lauren-agenbag-becomes-the-first-sa-woman-to-umpire-in-a-t20i/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In May 2019, she was one of the on-field umpires for the final of the [[2019 ICC Women's Qualifier Africa]] tournament, between [[Zimbabwe women's national cricket team|Zimbabwe]] and [[Namibia women's national cricket team|Namibia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1182658.html |title=Final, ICC Women's T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier at Harare, May 12 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=12 May 2019}}</ref> The same month, the ICC named her as one of the eight women on the ICC Development Panel of Umpires.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1219995 |title=ICC welcomes first female match referee and boosts numbers on development panel |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=14 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/26742660/gs-lakshmi-becomes-first-woman-icc-match-referee |title=GS Lakshmi becomes first woman to be ICC match referee |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=14 May 2019}}</ref> She was one of the umpires during the [[2019 ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier]] tournament in Scotland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1319297 |title=Match official appointments and squads announced for ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019 |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1326569 |title=World first all-women umpiring panel to feature at ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=28 August 2019}}</ref>
In September 2019, Cricket South Africa appointed her to their Reserve List Umpires Panel for the 2019–20 cricket season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricket.co.za/news/31510/Agenbag-and-Fritz-break-new-ground-for-SA-Cricket |title=Agenbag and Fritz break new ground for SA Cricket |work=Cricket South Africa |access-date=28 August 2019 |archive-date=28 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828101310/https://cricket.co.za/news/31510/Agenbag-and-Fritz-break-new-ground-for-SA-Cricket |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 13 September 2019, Agenbag became the first woman to umpire in a senior men's provincial match, when she was one of the on-field umpires in the match between [[Eastern Province (cricket team)|Eastern Province]] and [[KwaZulu-Natal Inland (cricket team)|KwaZulu-Natal Inland]] in the [[2019–20 CSA Provincial T20 Cup]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricket.co.za/news/31694/Double-wins-for-Northerns-KZN-Inland-and-Border |title=Double wins for Northerns, KZN Inland and Border |work=Cricket South Africa |access-date=14 September 2019 |archive-date=21 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921090410/https://cricket.co.za/news/31694/Double-wins-for-Northerns-KZN-Inland-and-Border |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 17 October 2019, in the match between [[Gauteng (cricket team)|Gauteng]] and [[Boland (cricket team)|Boland]] in the [[2019–20 CSA 3-Day Provincial Cup]], Agenbag became the first woman to stand as an on-field umpire in a [[first-class cricket]] match in South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1463978 |title=Umpire Lauren Agenbag makes history in South Africa |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref>
In February 2020, the ICC named her as one of the umpires to officiate in matches during the [[2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup]] in Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1607955 |title=ICC announces Match Officials for all league matches |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=12 February 2020}}</ref> In January 2021, Agenbag umpired in her first [[Women's One Day International]] (WODI) matches, in all three fixtures between [[Pakistan women's cricket team in South Africa in 2020–21|South Africa and Pakistan]] at the [[Kingsmead Cricket Ground]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricket.co.za/news/37392/Agenbag-and-Fritz-make-WODI-impressions |title=Agenbag and Fritz make WODI impressions |work=Cricket South Africa |access-date=27 January 2021 |archive-date=28 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128133139/https://cricket.co.za/news/37392/Agenbag-and-Fritz-make-WODI-impressions |url-status=dead }}</ref> In February 2022, she was named as one of the on-field umpires for the [[2022 Women's Cricket World Cup]] in New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.womenscriczone.com/icc-match-officials-world-cup-new-zealand |title=Eight women among 15 Match Officials named for ICC World Cup 2022 |work=Women's CricZone |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222094833/https://www.womenscriczone.com/icc-match-officials-world-cup-new-zealand/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2497729 |title=Match officials chosen for ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=22 February 2022}}</ref> On 1 April 2022, the ICC named Agenbag as one of the on-field umpires for the [[2022 Women's Cricket World Cup Final|final of the tournament]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/2556521 |title=Match Officials for Final confirmed |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=1 April 2022}}</ref> and became the youngest umpire to officiate in a Cricket World Cup final.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/video/2574704 |title=Meet Lauren Agenbag – the youngest umpire to have officiated in a CWC Final |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref>
In June 2023, she became the first female umpire to appoint to Elite Umpires Panel by [[Cricket South Africa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/cricket/2023-06-28-lauren-agenbag-becomes-first-woman-on-csas-elite-umpire-panel/ |title=Lauren Agenbag becomes first woman on CSA's elite umpire panel |work=TimesLIVE |access-date=17 December 2024 |date=28 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricket.co.za/csa-appoints-first-female-to-elite-umpires-panel/ |title=CSA Appoints First Female to Elite Umpires Panel |work=Cricket South Africa |access-date=17 December 2024}}</ref>
In September 2024 she was named as part of an all-female officiating group for the [[2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/womens-t20-worldcup/news/all-female-panel-of-match-officials-announced-for-women-s-t20-world-cup-2024 |title=All-female panel of match officials announced for Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=3 October 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{cricinfo|id=1072118}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Agenbag, Lauren}} [[Category:1996 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:South African cricket umpires]] [[Category:People from Centurion, Gauteng]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Gauteng]] [[Category:Women cricket umpires]]