By Tevita Momoedonu


One of Fiji's top netball umpires, Kalesi Tabete, has been invited to officiate at the netball test match between trans-Tasman rivals, Australia and New Zealand.

Tabete said the invitation from the International Federation of Netball Association's (IFNA) Umpiring Committee, will see her controlling the under-21 test match between the trans-Tasman neighbours in early September.

Although Tabete has officiated at national games in New Zealand in the past three years, this is the first time for her, and for any Fijian netball umpire for that matter, to be invited to control an international test match.

"I am honoured to umpire the test match," she said, adding, "This is the first time Fiji has been recognised and invited to a test."

Tabete said the invitation to control test matches in Queenstown, New Zealand on September 8 and 9, would be part of her assessment towards an International Umpire's Award - a qualification that would allow her to control international test matches worldwide.

The young Fijian lass holds an Oceania B qualification, which is a New Zealand B umpire certificate, that entitles her to control netball matches only in Fiji and New Zealand.

She said she is aiming to get the international award within the next three years, in order to officiate at the international netball tournament to be held in Fiji in 2007.