Former cricket umpire Rudi Koertzen passes away at the age of 73 in a car crash
One of the most influential and prominent match officials in world cricket, Rudi Koertzen tragically passed away on Tuesday (August 9) in a car crash. The South African, who has had a successful career spanning over 18 years, was aged 73 at the time of his passing.
Koertzen was unfortunately involved in a head-on collision in Riversdale, South Africa while returning home from a golf weekend. Apart from him, three other people lost their lives in the crash, making their way to Despatch in Nelson Mandela Bay.
The 73-year-old lost his life on impact, according to his son, Rudi Koertzen Jr. He told Algoa FM News:
“He went on a golf tournament with some of his friend, and they were expected to come back on Monday, but it seems they decided to play another round of golf."
South Africa will be wearing black armbands, in honour of the umpire Rudi Koertzen, who apparently has died, which is sad news
He is famous for the dreaded slow raise of his index finger while adjudging a batter out. Apart from the infamous gesture, his immaculate decisions set him apart from the rest and was widely regarded as a professional in the cricketing arena.
Rudi Koertzen officiated a total of 108 Tests and 209 ODIs from 1992
Rudi Koertzen began his career in December 1992 when India toured the Rainbow nation. He always had a soft spot for cricket and used to play league cricket while being employed with the South African Railways.
The South African was promoted as a full-time International Cricket Council (ICC) umpire in 1997 and made it among the elite panel of umpires in 2002. He proceeded to be the second umpire to officiate 150 ODIs after David Shepherd and ended his career with 209 ODIs, which still stands as a record.
During the second Ashes Test in 2009, he became the second umpire to officiate 100 Test matches after fellow colleague Steve Bucknor. He went on to officiate eight more Tests before retiring in 2010, with the clash between Australia and Pakistan in Leeds being his last.
He is the only umpire to receive the ICC Bronze Bails Award and ICC Silver Bails Award, as well as the ICC Golden Bails Award, which are awarded for officiating 100 ODIs, 200 ODIs and 100 Tests respectively. Koertzen was also responsible for officiating several high-profile matches, including the iconic 2005 Ashes series.
Koertzen was also the third umpire during the finals of the 2003 and 2007 editions of the ODI World Cup.