Cricket
Top SA umpire dies
2009-08-18 16:48
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Durban - One of South Africa's most experienced cricket umpires, Wilf Diedricks, died on Tuesday after a long illness.
Born March 6, 1945 in Cape Town, Wilfred Andrew Diedricks was 64 years old.
He was educated at Harold Cressy High School in Cape Town and later played in the Durban non-racial leagues during the 1970s when he decided to become an umpire where he was instrumental in establishing the Natal Umpires Body and later the SA Cricket Board Umpires Association.
He umpired Howa Bowl matches for 15 years from 1974/75.
When cricket was unified in the early 1990s, Diedricks made his debut standing with Brian Jerling in the match between Eastern Province B v Natal B in Port Elizabeth in 1991/92.
Diedricks' first four-day game was at St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth - a match between Eastern Province, captained by Kepler Wessels, and Orange Free State, led by Hansie Cronje.
He officiated in one Test match, between South Africa and India in Port Elizabeth in 1992/93.
He also stood in 31 ODIs between 1992 and 2001, the last being match between South Africa and Kenya in Kimberley in October, 2001.
Diedricks also acted as a match referee in a number of matches.