A local website revealed that former South African international umpire Rudi Koertzen passed away in a car accident on Tuesday morning close to the town of Riversdale.
How Did Umpire Rudi Koertzen Die?
Rudi Koertzen, a renowned South African umpire, passed away on Tuesday. A head-on collision at Riversale claimed the lives of the renowned match referee along with three other victims. Koertzen’s son Rudi Koertzen Jr. provided Algoa FM News with confirmation of the development. His son added, “He went on a golf outing with a few of his pals, and they were supposed to return back on Monday, but it seems they chose to play another round of golf.”
Known as the “slow finger of death” by the media, former South African umpire Rudi Koertzen was killed in a car accident, a family member confirmed to AFP on Tuesday. He was 73.
Rudi Koertzen Cause of death
The family representative, who asked to remain anonymous, stated that Rudi “suffered fatal injuries after an accident near Stilbaai between Cape Town and Gqeberha.”
According to his son Rudi, “My father went to a golf tournament with some buddies. They were supposed to return on Monday, but it seems they opted to play another round of golf.”
Umpire Rudi Koertzen biography
From the late 1990s until 2010, Koertzen, one of the most renowned cricket umpires in the world, presided over almost 400 international matches.
“On Tuesday morning, three other persons, including the well-known cricket umpire Rudi Koertzen, perished in a head-on collision near Riversdale. The 73-year-old Koertzen from Despatch in Nelson Mandela Bay was returning after a golf weekend in Cape Town, according to Algoa FM News.
Wednesday’s Test match between South Africa and England at Lord’s in London will see the South African players donning black armbands in Koertzen’s memory.
Rudi Koertzen Jr., the son of the deceased umpire, confirmed the awful information.
Koertzen Jr. told the website, “He went on a golf tournament with several of his friends, and they were supposed to return back on Monday, but it seems they opted to play another round of golf.”
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Umpire Rudi Koertzen career
Koertzen served on the ICC Elite Panel for eight years after being admitted in 2002.
When Koertzen initially started off as an umpire, he recalled how he would hold his hands out in front of him and fold them against his ribs if there was an appeal.
In as many as 397 matches during the course of his career, he served as an on-field and TV umpire, including 128 Test matches, a record 250 ODIs, and 19 T20 Internationals.
“I was informed, “Rudi, you cannot do that,” by someone. The bowler assumes you’re going to give him a wicket every time you raise your hands to fold them.”
The finger comes out slowly since it takes me some time to let go of my hold on my wrists at the rear, so I started doing that.
He was involved in controversy as well, including the 2007 ODI World Cup final between Australia and Sri Lanka being played in almost complete darkness due to an incorrect interpretation of the rules, which led the International Cricket Council (ICC) to deny him any work during the 2007 World T20, which was held in his own nation.
Tribute to Umpire Rudi Koertzen
Former India hitter Virender Sehwag was among the first to honour the illustrious umpire as soon as this event was made public.
Vale Rudi Koertzen ! Om Shanti. Condolences to his family.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 9, 2022
Had a great relation with him. Whenever I used to play a rash shot, he used to scold me saying, “Play sensibly, I want to watch your batting”.
One he wanted to buy a particular brand of cricket pads for his son (cont) pic.twitter.com/CSxtjGmKE9
“Rudi Koertzen, vale! Shanti Om. My sympathies go out to his family. a wonderful relationship with him. He would chastise me and say, “Play intelligently, I want to see your batting,” if I made a hasty shot. He wanted to get his son a certain brand of cricket bats “tweets from Sehwag
Rudi Koertzen, vale! Shanti Om. My sympathies go out to his family.
a wonderful relationship with him. He would chastise me and say, “Play intelligently, I want to see your batting,” if I made a hasty shot.
Vale Rudi Koertzen ! Om Shanti. Condolences to his family.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 9, 2022
Had a great relation with him. Whenever I used to play a rash shot, he used to scold me saying, “Play sensibly, I want to watch your batting”.
One he wanted to buy a particular brand of cricket pads for his son (cont) pic.twitter.com/CSxtjGmKE9
Sehwag stated in a another tweet: “and asked me for information about it. He was really appreciative of the gift I gave him. a gentleman and an amazing individual. Rudi, I’ll miss you. Shanti Om.”
He was then selected as an International Cricket Council (ICC) umpire on a full-time basis in 1997. After Steve Bucknor, he was the second umpire to oversee more over 200 ODIs and 100 Test matches.
In the 2003 and 2007 World Cup finals, he served as the third umpire. In 2010, he declared his umpiring career over. The Test between Australia and Pakistan was his final contest as an umpire.
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