Experienced umpire Marais Erasmus has chosen to retire after the end of the two-match Test series between New Zealand and Australia, starting in Wellington on Thursday. Originally from South African domestic cricket, Erasmus has been officiating in international matches since 2006.
Erasmus’s Goodbye to Umpiring Career:
The seasoned South African umpire Marais Erasmus has decided to end his impressive career in international umpiring after the ongoing Test series between New Zealand and Australia. Erasmus’s journey from being a first-class cricketer for the Boland cricket team to becoming one of the highly respected figures in international cricket umpiring is truly remarkable.
Starting with his debut in a T20I between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers in February 2006, his career spanned over two decades. During this time, he officiated in 80 Tests, 124 ODIs, and 43 T20Is for men, along with 18 women’s T20Is.
Even after retiring, he continued to show his love for the game by mentoring new umpires and officiating in domestic cricket in South Africa. His impressive legacy includes winning the coveted David Shepherd Trophy for the ICC Umpire of the Year three times, which shows how skilled and fair he was.
Erasmus clinched the ICC Umpire of the Year title three times, in 2016, 2017, and 2021, putting him on par with Richard Kettleborough and Aleem Dar. The leading position in this accolade belongs to Simon Taufel, who secured the honor five times. Erasmus became part of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires in 2010.
Erasmus’s Words:
Erasmus shared that he made the decision to retire back in October of last year, with plans to wrap up his contract by April. The choice stemmed from his wish for a more peaceful life, stepping away from the demanding aspects of frequent international travel and umpiring duties.
After that, Erasmus talked about this. He said, “I’ll miss the privileges and the traveling. But I’ve had enough of being away and living outside of my comfort zone. I think having a more boring life is what I’m looking for. I decided in October last year and I informed the ICC that I would finish my contract in April and that would be that.”
Later he added, “ For the first couple of months I’m just going to take the winter off. We have some travel planned domestically, and from September I’ll be in the hands of CSA.”
“We still need to finalize how they want to use me. I’ll umpire in domestic cricket next season and play a mentoring role. I might go to the Khaya Majola Week (a school event) or the club championships, and I’ll be watching and advising umpires.”
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