Former South African umpire Rudi Koertzen, labelled the ‘slow finger of death’ by the media, has died in a tragic automobile accident.
Koertzen and three different individuals additionally misplaced their lives in a head-on collision in Riversdale, Western Cape
The Proteas are sporting black armbands throughout their match against the England Lions on Tuesday in honour of Koertzen, who umpired in 108 Tests, 209 ODIs and 14 T20Is from 1992 to 2010, incomes the nickname ‘Slow Death’ due to the way in which he gave batsmen out.
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“Rudi suffered fatal injuries after an accident near Stilbaai between Cape Town and Gqeberha,” stated the household spokesperson, who requested anonymity.
“My father went to a golf tournament with some friends and they were expected to come back on Monday, but it seems they decided to play another round of golf,” his son Rudi informed a Gqeberha radio station.
Koertzen first umpired in 1981, dealt with his maiden worldwide task 11 years later, and retired in 2010 after a Test between Australia and Pakistan in Leeds, England.
He turned referred to as the ‘slow finger of death’ as a result of he very slowly elevating his finger every time indicating a batsman was out.
Tributes have poured in for Koertzen following the tragic information:
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Koertzen turned an umpire in 1981 and officiated his first worldwide fixture in 1992, when India toured South Africa.
At 43, he stood in his first Test in Port Elizabeth.
In 1997, he was appointed as a full-time International Cricket Council (ICC) umpire.
In 2002, he turned a member of the elite panel and ultimately turned the second umpire in historical past, after Steve Bucknor, to officiate in greater than 200 ODIs and 100 Tests.
In the 2003 and 2007 World Cup finals, he was the third-umpire.
In 2010, Rudi Koertzen retired from worldwide umpiring after the Test match between Australia and Pakistan.
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