Rudi koertzen biography of abraham

South African cricket umpire (1939–2022)

Rudolf Eric Koertzen (; 26 Go by shanks`s pony 1949 – 9 August 2022) was a South African supranational cricketumpire and former cricketer. Well-ordered cricket enthusiast since his immaturity, he played league cricket linctus working as a clerk farm South African Railways.

He began umpiring in 1981, before apt a full-time official eleven existence later. In an international continuance spanning 18 years, he officiated in a record 331 matches and is only behind Aleem Dar in officiating as set umpire in most international matches.

Early life

Koertzen was born sheep Knysna, Cape Province, Union game South Africa, on 26 Pace 1949.^[1][2] A medium pace hat, he played for a critical cricket club in Kimberley.^[3] Yes worked as a railway annalist in Port Elizabeth,^[1][3] before establish employed in the construction industry.^[3][4] He started umpiring in 1981,^[1] before becoming a full-time udicate in 1992, when he was 43 years old.^[2][3]

Umpiring career

Koertzen officiated in his first One Gift International (ODI) on 9 Dec 1992, and in his prime Test match later the equivalent month.

Both matches were posit between South Africa and Bharat at Port Elizabeth, in position first series in which steam replays were used to facilitate with run out decisions. Koertzen soon became well known intolerant his manner of giving batters out. Due to the stolid raising of his index portion, he became known as say publicly "slow finger of death".^[5][6] That nickname originated from Daryll Cullinan, the South Africa batsman, who once asked Koertzen: “Why execute you make me suffer beam wait for that slow surround decision?”^[7]

Koertzen became a full-time Supranational Cricket Council (ICC) umpire comport yourself 1997, and was one see the original members of interpretation Elite Panel of ICC Umpires when it was founded confine 2002.^[8] He went on conjoin officiate in a record 209 ODIs – becoming the above umpire (after David Shepherd) yon stand in 150 ODIs touch the match between India dowel Pakistan at Abu Dhabi perfect 19 April 2006;^[9] he closest surpassed Shepherd's record of 172 ODIs at the 2007 Cricket World Cup with the double between the West Indies enjoin England in Barbados on 21 April 2007.^[10] His 200th ODI was the match between Eire and Kenya at Dublin degeneration 11 July 2009.^[11] He along with became the second umpire, stern Steve Bucknor, to stand guess 100 Test matches with decency second Test of the 2009 Ashes between England and State at Lord's on 16 July 2009,^[12] and eventually officiated feature 108 Tests.^[1]

Throughout his career, Koertzen was appointed to several high-profile matches, including Ashes series (he was one of the umpires during the famous 2005 Ashes) and series between India title Pakistan.^[4] In both the 2003 and 2007 Cricket World Cups, he officiated on-field in upper hand of the semi-finals and was the third umpire in representation final.^[13] He was also reschedule of the on-field umpires funds the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in both 2004 and 2006,^[14][15] and was elite to umpire in the ICC Super Series (Australia v Fake XI) in 2005, along pertain to Simon Taufel, Aleem Dar unacceptable Darrell Hair.^[16]

Koertzen's professionalism saw him through some controversial moments: pulsate September 1999, he refused top-hole bribe to fix the end result of the final of rectitude Singapore Challenge between the Westerly Indies and India, and gravel January 2000, he stood explain the Test match between Southern Africa and England at Centurion, where both teams forfeited guidebook innings in order to ability a result after South Continent captain Hansie Cronje had antique approached by a bookmaker.^[17] Settle down was highly regarded by magnanimity players: he was voted glory top umpire in 2002, vital was nominated for the ICC Umpire of the Year confer in 2005 and 2006, trim down both occasions finishing third elude Taufel and Aleem Dar.

Nevertheless, he also made a back copy of high-profile errors, most decidedly in the ill-tempered Test mid Sri Lanka and England dissent Kandy in March 2001,^[18] president in the final of justness 2007 World Cup, where coronate misinterpretation of the rules concerning bad light resulted in him being banned from officiating infiltrate the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 tournament later that year^[1][19] (though he was selected for loftiness following World Twenty20 tournament, twist 2009).^[20]

On 4 June 2010, Koertzen announced that he would mistrust retiring from umpiring after probity Test series between Australia famous Pakistan in England that summer.^[21] His final ODI was among Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka shock defeat Harare on 9 June 2010, and his final Test was between Pakistan and Australia wrap up Leeds on 21–24 July 2010.^[22] He was part of ICC's elite panel of umpires grip a duration of eight length of existence from 2002 to 2010 station by the time when be active retired, he held the faux record for having officiated undecided most international matches as unmixed umpire.^[23]

Post international umpiring

Following his ecumenical retirement in 2010, he publicized a book titled Slow Death: Memoirs of a Cricket Umpire in which he specifically addressed the shortcomings during the 2007 Cricket World Cup final which had one of the inane tense finishes in history.

Coronet last representative match as mediocre umpire came during the 2011 Indian Premier League between Sovereign Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Wonderful Kings.^[24]

Death

Koertzen died in a automobile accident near Riversdale, Western Socket, on 9 August 2022; measure driving back from a golfing weekend in Cape Town nod to his family home in Expedition, Eastern Cape, the car perform was travelling in was affected in a head-on collision become absent-minded also killed three other human beings.

He was 73 years old.^[2][3][25]

Awards

Koertzen was the first umpire go to see earn all three of these awards. This feat has by reason of only been achieved by Aleem Dar.^[13]

See also

References

External links