Legendary umpire Rudi Koertzen passed away tragically in a South African car accident, leaving the cricket community in shock. He was 73 when he died.
Koertzen, nicknamed the “Slow Death” because of the time it took him to raise his finger to strike out a batsman, was driving back to his home in the Eastern Cape province after competing in a golf tournament when the accident occurred.
According to South Africa’s Algoa FM radio station, Koertzen and three other people were killed in a head-on collision near Riversdale in the Western Cape province.
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Rudi Koertzen Cause Of Death
How did Rudi Koertzen die? Cricket South Africa announced Koertzen’s death on Tuesday morning, but provided no further details. Rudi Koertzen Cause Of Death is car accident. He died at the age of 73.
Cricket South Africa chief executive Pholetsi Moseki said: “The passing of this titan is a sad loss for the game.”
Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar, who has since surpassed Koertzen’s record for most international matches officiated, described Koertzen’s death as “a very big loss”.
“I stood in so many games with him,” said Dar.
“He was not only very good as an umpire but also an excellent colleague, always very cooperative on field and also always willing to help off the field. Because of the way he was, he was also well-respected by players.”
Who is Rudi Koertzen?
Over an 18-year career, Koertzen was one of cricket’s most respected umpires, having stood in 108 Tests, a record 209 one-day internationals, and 14 T20s. His first Test was in 1992, when South Africa returned to international cricket after a 22-year ban due to apartheid, and he retired in 2010.
Koertzen was well-known for his unique method of striking out batters, which involved slowly raising his left arm with his finger pointing at the batter. It was dubbed the “slow finger of death,” and he titled his autobiography “Slow Death.”
“I used to hold my hands in front of me and every time there was an appeal, I would fold them against my ribs,” Koertzen once said in an interview.
“Then someone told me ‘Rudi, you cannot do that. Every time you raise your hands to fold them, the bowler thinks you are going to give him a wicket’.
“So I started clasping my wrists at the back. The finger comes out slowly because it takes time for me to release my grasp at the back.”
