Remembering a great of the game

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RHEENENDAL NEWS – In honour of the late legendary Knysna-born cricket umpire Rudi Koertzen, Knysna Villagers organised a series of T20 matches last weekend.

Koertzen used to regularly lend a hand as an umpire at cricket festivals in Knysna organised by Keith Cretchley, and became a mainstay of Knysna Villagers tournaments held by Cretchley just outside Rheenendal.

Cretchley was once more behind the organising of the T20 matches played on Saturday 10 September on his fields at Sport at Backward Point, a few kilometres from Rheenendal. A total of eight teams took part, with one team - Northcliff Cricket Club - even travelling all the way from Johannesburg to honour the cricket legend.

Two rounds of games were played, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and Koertzen's son Rudolf graced the event that commemorated his father's legacy with his presence.

Proceedings were opened in the morning by SA cricketing legend Barry Richards (who now lives in Knysna), who fondly remembered Koertzen's profound impact on cricket.

Four matches were played in each round and for the first five overs of each innings, something special was afoot.

PHOTO GALLERY: Rudi Koertzen honoured in Rheenendal cricket match

For each alter-nating over (1, 3 and 5), the spot where an umpire would stand guard and officiate proceedings was left vacant, in remembrance of Koertzen who would in all likelihood have stood there himself were the matches not a memorial to honour him.

It was a fantastic day, and the spirit of cricket was everywhere to be seen as the man known right around the world for his signature 'slow finger of death' dismissal signal was remembered one more time.

Chad Walker in action in the first round of games.

The legend that was

Koertzen was a legendary figure in the international cricketing world. He spent an incredible 18 years umpiring all forms of cricket. He started umpiring in 1992 and became a full-time International Cricket Council (ICC) umpire in 1997.

He was one of the original members of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires when it was founded in 2002.

Koertzen retired from umpiring in July 2010 and by then he had officiated 108 test matches - the third-most ever.

He is one of only three umpires to pass 100 tests; he covered 209 ODIs - the second-most ODIs - and is one of only three to reach the 200-mark. Lastly, he officiated at 14 T20Is.

He received the ICC Bronze Bails Award for 100 ODIs, ICC Silver Bails Award for 200 ODIs and the ICC Golden Bails Award for 100 tests.

Koertzen was the first umpire to earn all three of these awards and the feat has since only been achieved by Aleem Dar.

He died in a car accident near Riversdale on 9 August, on his way back to Despatch with friends after a golfing weekend in Cape Town.

SA cricket legend Barry Richards (left) opens proceedings as Rudi Koertzen's son Rudolf (centre) and organiser of the memorial Keith Cretchley (right) listen in.