Former South African umpire and a member of ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, Rudi Koertzen, handed away, aged 73, in a automotive crash on August 9, Tuesday. Three others have been killed after a head-on collision through the accident. He officiated in worldwide cricket from December 1992 to July 2010, standing in 108 Take a look at matches, 209 ODIs, 14 T20Is and one WT20I.
Koertzen’s son Rudi Koertzen Jr stated that he (Koertzen) was out for a golf match along with his buddies and was anticipated to be again from Cape City on Monday. Koertzen stands third within the record of umpires to have stood in probably the most variety of Take a look at matches, behind Aleem Dar and Steve Bucknor.
“He went on a golf match with a few of his good friend, they usually have been anticipated to return again on Monday, but it surely appears they determined to play one other spherical of golf”, Koertzen Jr stated instructed Algoa FM Information.
Koertzen – one of many first members of ICC Elite Panel
In his first ODI because the umpire, the TV replays have been used for the primary time in worldwide cricket to make run-out choices. He was very well-known for signalling out with a sluggish elevate of the finger, which is why it was popularly referred to as “the sluggish finger of loss of life”.
Koertzen grew to become a full-time umpire of the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) in 1997 and later grew to become one of many members Elite Panel when it was based in 2002. He was solely the second umpire after England’s David Shepherd to umpire in 150 ODIs in 2006 and the second umpire after Bucknor to face in 100 Checks in 2009.
Koertzen was usually appointed for large fixtures equivalent to India versus Pakistan and Australia versus England within the Ashes, amongst many others. He was officiated in a World Cup semifinal and ultimate. In complete, he additionally officiated because the third umpire in 20 Take a look at matches, 41 ODIs and 5 T20Is. Koertzen additionally officiated in 28 first-class matches, 59 Record-A matches and 74 T20s within the home circuit. He additionally stands second on the record of umpires to gave stood in ODIs, and second total throughout codecs.
