South African umpire Marais Erasmus officiates his last international match between New Zealand and Australia

A two-match Test series is being played between Australia and New Zealand on February 29 and March 8. Before the start of this series, New Zealand’s star bowler Neil Wagner already had announced his retirement. Now it’s time for a match official to retire after the first match of this series.

60-year-old one of the great umpires from South Africa, Marais Erasmus is umpiring in his last international match. This Test match has already started in Wellington today. After winning the toss home side New Zealand chose to bowl first.

Erasmus has won the ICC Umpire of the Year honour in 2016, 2017 and 2021

Marais Erasmus is one of the popular umpires. He is a part of the International Apex Council’s elite panel too. The whole cricketing fraternity will miss his service and it will have a huge impact on international cricket.

In a casual conversation with Cricbuzz, Erasmus shared his last year’s conversation with the International Apex Council. Last year in October Erasmus informed the International Apex Council that he wanted to step down. “I’ll miss the privileges and the travelling,” Erasmus told Cricbuzz on Wednesday before the start of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand. “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.” He continued.

Marais Erasmus debuted as an umpire in a T20I match, in February 2006 between South Africa and Australia at Johannesburg. Since then, the great man featured in 80 Tests, 124 ODIs and 43 T20Is. He featured as a third umpire in 131 men’s internationals across all the formats. Not only that, a 60-year-old umpire from South Africa also featured in 18 women’s T20Is. He is second only to Australia’s Simon Taufel, who has won the title five times. After he retires from international cricket, Erasmus can be seen umpiring in the South African domestic circuit.