Rudi Koertzen died on August 9, 2022, aged 73. He had stood in 332 international matches, and was remembered in the 2023 Wisden Almanack.
Rudolf Eric Koertzen was one of four people killed in a road accident near Riversdale in South Africa’s Western Cape on August 9, aged 73. A great and authoritative figure, Rudy Koertzen played in 108 Tests and his 209 One Day Internationals. Both records are from when he retired in 2010. Initially, he indulged his love of cricket by playing it when he wasn’t working as a railway carpenter – “probably with more enthusiasm than real talent”, he said in a class match in November 1981. He crossed swords with prominent local hitter Hilton Ackerman, who told him: “You don’t know what LBW is.”
Kertsen made his Test debut in South Africa’s first home series after his readmission against India in December 1992. He was one of his first members of the international organization of the ICC. He became known for the dramatic way he signaled farewell by slowly raising his left arm with his index finger held up. This earned him the nickname “Slow Death”, which he used in his 2010 autobiography. Almost inevitably, in the pre-DRS era, Koertsen was embroiled in controversy from time to time, most notably during the heated Test between Sri Lanka and England in Kandy in 2000/01. He was also the television referee for the 2007 World Cup final in Bridgetown, a match that fell into near obscurity after the referee misunderstood the rules and was later suspended. However, he continued to have the respect of his players. “It’s a relief to see him on the goal line,” said South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis. Current elite referee Marais Erasmus also said, “Rudy was a very strong character, both physically and mentally. He paved the way for South African referees to advance to the world stage.”
Rudi Koertzen stood in 108 Tests and 209 ODIs, both records when he retired in 2010.
Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match analysis, player interviews, and much more.
