4 Legends from the Golden Generation of Umpires

#3 Rudi Koertzen

Australia v Pakistan - 1st Test: Day One

Rudi was a cricket enthusiast since he was young and played league cricket for South African Railways. He started officiating in 1982. He officiated in his first ODI in Dec 1992 followed by the Tests at the end of the year. Koertzen was famous for his “slow death” i.e slowly raising the finger to declare the batsman out keeping everyone on the edge of the seat.

He has umpired over 200 ODIs and 100 Test matches which is still a record. He was a member of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires when it was founded. He refused to budge when asked to fix the final of Coca-Cola Cup between India and West Indies in 1999 due to which players have high regard for him. He has umpired in the finals of the Champions trophy in 2004 and 2006.

He is the only umpire to have won the Golden Bails Award (100 Tests), the Silver Bails Award (200 ODIs) and the Bronze Bails Award(100 ODIs). He retired from umpiring in July 2010 in a Test match between Pakistan and Australia.