25 Jul 2010

Koertzen bows out of international cricket

5:19 pm on 25 July 2010

South Africa umpire Rudi Koertzen say's he'll miss test cricket, as his 18-year international career came to an end in the series finale between Pakistan and Australia in Leeds.

The 61-year-old, standing in his 108th test walked through a guard of honour onto the field on his final day, with Pakistan needing just 40 runs to win.

Koertzen, who's renowned for his deliberately slow hand method of giving batsmen out, correctly rejected a couple of impassioned Australian appeals before referring a claim for a Mike Hussey catch in the gully to the third umpire, who ruled in Pakistan's favour.

Pakistan won the test with three wickets in hand, to draw the series.

Koertzen made his Test debut in the Boxing Day Test between South Africa and India at Port Elizabeth in 1992.

He also stood in a record 209 one-day internationals and 14 Twenty20s.