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Carla Rudd Announces Her Retirement From Professional Cricket With Immediate Effect
Carla Rudd Announces Her Retirement From Professional Cricket With Immediate Effect
Southern Vipers wicket keeper Carla Rudd has retired from professional cricket in order to further her coaching career
Southern Vipers are sad to announce that long-serving wicket keeper Carla Rudd has retired from professional cricket with immediate effect.
Born in Hastings, East Sussex, Rudd began her cricketing career at Hastings and St Leonards Priory CC, and made her county debut for her native Sussex aged 15 against a Kent side that was captained by Charlotte Edwards, and featured future Vipers teammates in Lydia Greenway and Tammy Beaumont.
She then spent one year at Middlesex in 2010, before switching allegiances to Berkshire with whom she spent eight years before returning to Sussex in 2019.
Rudd started her professional career with Southern Vipers in 2016, where she was part of the side that won the inaugural KIA Super League, and finished runners-up in the 2017 and 2019 editions of the competition.
The wicket keeper also featured in all three of the Southern Vipers’ successful Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Charlotte Edwards Cup campaigns in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
I have much to be proud of and thankful for in my cricketing career. Playing for the Southern Vipers since the inaugural Kia Super League competition and acquiring over 50 caps is certainly at the top of the list. However, I have made the hard decision to retire from cricket and focus on my career at The Leys School in Cambridge. As newly appointed Director of Sport I am excited by the opportunity and wish to give the position, and its responsibilities, my full attention. It has, nevertheless, been a difficult decision. I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to play with such a great group over the last seven years, and I will cherish the memories and friendships made. Finally, I would like to thank the coaches and supporters for everything along the way.
Carla Rudd
Along with her career as a cricketer, Rudd has also been involved in coaching and teaching since 2015 when she joined Felsted School in Essex as their Head of Girls’ Cricket.
She coached the U15 Indoor and Outdoor Champions in 2017, and the U18s girls’ National Champions in 2019 before taking up a new role as Director of Sport at The Leys school in Cambridge in September 2022.
Carla has been a champion for women’s cricket and a stalwart for the Vipers over the past 7 years. She’s performed consistently at an extremely high level for the region and has been instrumental in recent team successes as our number one keeper. She’s always personified total professionalism and has played with humility and class throughout her time in orange and black. We will miss her terribly, none more so than as a senior professional on the pitch, but as the lead vocalist when the players belt out our team victory song! Her numbers with the gloves speak for themselves and although not so often called upon, she’s turned up more than once when we’ve been in trouble to deliver with the bat. I’d like to thank her personally for her service and dedication to the Viper badge. I hope in retirement she feels much pride and great satisfaction at the respect she’s earned and the performances she’s given.
Adam Carty, Regional Director of Women's Cricket
Rudd will retire as one of the most successful wicket keepers in professional women’s cricket, with 75 dismissals to her name – 45 catches and 30 stumpings – 11 more than the next best, and ends her career as the Southern Vipers most capped player having featured 61 times in orange and black.
Everyone at Southern Vipers thanks Carla for her hard work over her seven years at the Club, and wishes her all the best in her coaching career.
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