Cricket umpire Rudi Koertzen dies in car crash

One of the most popular faces in world cricket, South African umpire Rudi Koertzen, and three other people were killed in a head-on collision, a local news report said.

The crash occurred on Tuesday morning in an area called Riversdale in South Africa.

The 73-year-old Koertzen, a resident of Despatch in Nelson Mandela Bay, was on his way back home from Cape Town after a golf weekend.

His son, Rudi Koertzen Jr told sources that his father died on impact.

A cricket enthusiast since his youth, he played league cricket while working as a clerk for South African Railways. 

He became an umpire in 1981 and eleven years later made his umpiring debut in a match involving India and South Africa at Port Elizabeth.

Furthermore, he also stood in a record 209 one-day internationals and 14 Twenty20s and singled out standing in the opening match of the 1999 World Cup between England and Sri Lanka as his most fondest memory.

All in all, he officiated 331 matches in International cricket with last Test match being Australia vs Pakistan that took place in 2010 at Lord's. 

One of the most popular faces of the game had said back then that he would miss the longest format the most.