Umpire Marais Erasmus, officiating throughout a Test in Dharamsala. The South African introduced his choice to retire from Emirates ICC elite panel of Umpires on March 7, 2024. File
| Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan
South Africa’s Marais Erasmus will retire from worldwide umpiring after officiating within the second and last Test between New Zealand and Australia in Christchurch beginning on March 8.
The 60-year-old Erasmus, whose lengthy career as an umpire started in 2006, on March 7 introduced his choice to retire from Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires.
“I have had a wonderful time on the Elite Panel, officiating in some top-class matches around the world and in global ICC events,” Erasmus said ahead of his final Test as umpire.
“I am very fortunate to have continued my association with the game after my time as a cricketer in South Africa and have enjoyed every moment.
While I will miss being on the Elite Panel and the challenges that come with it, I feel it is time for me to step away and look to contribute to the game in some other way.” The second Test between Australia and New Zealand will likely be his 380th as an official — 131 of them as TV umpire.
Erasmus, a former first-class cricketer, was appointed to the Elite panel of ICC umpires in 2010, making him the joint-longest serving present umpire on the listing, alongside Rod Tucker.
The Christchurch Test will likely be Erasmus’ 82nd males’s Test match as umpire, placing him tenth on the listing of umpires to officiate in most Test matches.
Erasmus, who gained the David Shepherd Trophy for the ICC Umpire of the Year in 2016, 2017 and 2021, has officiated in 4 World Cups (2011, 2015, 2019, 2023), seven T20 World Cups (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2021 and 2022) and two Champions Trophy tournaments in 2013 and 2017 in males’s cricket.
He additionally officiated three Women’s T20 World Cups (2010, 2012, 2014).
Notably, Erasmus was one of many two on-field umpires for the dramatic last of the 2019 ODI World Cup between England and New Zealand. He additionally stood because the umpire within the final two T20 World Cup finals in 2021 and 2022.
He was additionally in cost within the last of all three Women’s T20 World Cups he officiated in and was one of many on-field umpires within the high-octane 2017 ICC Champions Trophy last between India and Pakistan.
Congratulating the South African on his excellent career, ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice mentioned: “Marais has had an outstanding career as an international umpire.
“He has officiated in lots of world ICC tournaments, together with World Cup finals, in addition to high-profile sequence all around the world, always displaying his talent, calmness and composure, even in essentially the most difficult of conditions.
“He has not only been an excellent umpire but also a fine team man who is respected by his colleagues in the ICC and on the Elite panel.” Erasmus was the on-field umpire in 25 ODI World Cup matches, 33 T20 World Cup video games, 18 Women’s T20 World Cup matches and 6 ICC Champions Trophy video games. He stood in seven finals of ICC tournaments.
