Former South African cricket umpire Rudi Koertzen, famed for his slow arm raise to give batters out, has died following a car crash aged 73.
Cricket South Africa announced Koertzen’s death in a statement overnight, confirming the renowned umpire had succumbed to injuries following a car accident on Tuesday morning.
Koertzen, one of cricket’s most respected umpires, stood in 108 tests, a record 209 one-day internationals and 14 T20s over an 18-year career.
His first Test was during South Africa’s return to international cricket at home in 1992, after a 22-year ban because of apartheid.
He retired in July 2010, with his last match as Test between Pakistan and Australia at Headingley.
Koertzen singled out standing in the opening match of the 1999 ODI World Cup between England and Sri Lanka as his fondest memory.
He was famous for his unique method of giving a batter out, where he’d slowly raise his left arm with his finger pointing at the batter. It became known as the ‘slow finger of death’.
“The passing of this titan is a sad loss for the game,” said Cricket South Africa chief executive Pholetsi Moseki.
I have paid tribute to Koertzen’s “selfless dedication and commitment”.
South Africa’s Algoa FM radio station reported that Koertzen and three other people were killed in a head-on collision near the town of Riversdale in the Western Cape province.
Koertzen was returning to his home in the Eastern Cape province after playing in a golf tournament when the crash happened, the station said.
