Erasmus's era of excellence ends in front of '50 souls and a dog'
An era of excellence will end on Saturday. It started in club cricket in 2000 and encompasses 82 Tests, 125 ODIs - all men's games - and 61 men's and women's T20Is. Along with 131 internationals carefully considered from behind a screen. And 66 other first-class matches, 72 list A games and 174 T20s on the field.
Those 26 years will draw to a close in a list A encounter between Boland and the Lions in Paarl, where, Marais Erasmus told Cricbuzz, "there might be 50 souls and a dog". The match is his last appointment as an umpire.
That may seem too lowkey a finale for someone who has been central to global cricket's greatest spectacles. But not for Erasmus, who remains the same even-keeled, unassuming, outwardly unflappable figure he has always been. Besides, he has seen and done enough, thank you.
"I'm glad that I've reached this stage," Erasmus, who turned 62 last month, said. "Not that the last two years have been a drag - I've enjoyed the mentoring role. But maybe the motivation to be onfield has died since I did my last Test."
That was between New Zealand and Australia at Hagley Oval in Christchurch in March 2024, Erasmus' last international of any sort. Since then he has stood in franchise and domestic matches and helped hone the next generation of South Africa's umpires - a role that is continuing, and likely will.
"I am mentoring one of the Indian international panel umpires [Rohan Pandit] on the phone now and then," Erasmus said. "If others want to contact me, that would be enjoyable and easy to do."
Aside from that, what's next for Erasmus and his wife Adele?
"Very much retirement. We have travel plans already. We're going to Italy in June and to the Kruger Park in May. I'm looking forward to watching Test cricket over the New Year, but I don't see myself in an official role.
"I've lined up for a few talks, celebrating Bellville Cricket Club's [in Cape Town] 130th anniversary in April, and in October to speak in Worcester at Drostdy Technical High School, and some cricket functions. That kind of thing will hopefully still happen, but obviously as I get older and fade into the sunset, my relevance will become less and less."
If that makes Erasmus sound unhappy, perish the thought: "I'm glad the end is here. It's been a long, long journey."
And how. Erasmus' onfield career put him in the path of 14 Ashes Tests, four editions of the men's World Cup - including the 2019 final - and 11 versions of its T20 equivalent. He's also stood in 68 IPL matches, among them the 2018 final, and seven blockbusters between India and Pakistan - punctuated by the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
The ICC awarded Erasmus the David Shepherd Trophy, which recognises world cricket's best umpire, in 2016, 2017 and 2021. Aleem Dar and Richard Kettleborough have also earned it three times. Only Simon Taufel and Richard Illingworth, who have claimed this prize five and four times, have won it more often.
But, if you're a cricketminded person, you don't need the ICC to tell you which umpires know what they're doing. Erasmus' unshakeable calm and easy amiability with even the most high profile players stood out. That and the fact that he made the right decision far more often than not.
The Adelaide Test of December 2014 - Virat Kohli's first as India's captain - was a case in point. Emotions ran high, partly because the match started 13 days after Phillip Hughes died in the wake of being struck on the neck by a bouncer in a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney. And partly because the BCCI did not trust DRS enough to allow its use in the series, which meant umpiring errors couldn't be undone. Tensions rose to the extent that players almost came to blows on the field.
Other umpires might have buckled under the strain. Forty-three appeals were yelled in Erasmus' direction. He was proved correct 40 times. That's an umpire who knows what they're doing. Not that he was immune to being dragged into controversy.
New Zealanders will never forget, nor likely forgive, he and Kumar Dharmasena awarding six runs to England after Martin Guptill's throw hit Ben Stokes' bat and scooted away for four during the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's. Just five runs should have been added, and the error - the only mistake Erasmus made or was party to in the entire tournament - became crucial when the match and the resultant super over were tied. It should never have come to England being declared "winners" by boundary count.
Sri Lankans will continue to resent Erasmus for his decision to uphold Bangladesh's timed out appeal for Angelo Mathews' wicket during a 2023 World Cup match in Delhi. Mathews was at the crease - but had yet to take guard - two seconds before the end of the two minutes he had, as per the laws, to be ready to face the bowler. His helmet - the chinstrap was broken - took another 40 seconds to be replaced. Mathews thus needed 42 seconds too many before he was ready to face.
Solely because Shakib Al Hasan had appealed, and would not withdraw his appeal, Erasmus had no choice but to make Mathews the only player yet timed out in international cricket.
Other controversies are available. All of them, and more, will be explored and expanded in detail in a book on Erasmus' career and its orbit due to be published later this year.
It's a long way from there to ending it all in front of "50 souls and a dog" at Boland Park. But it's also apt. Before the world came to know Erasmus as one of the most reliable officials in the game, he was a teacher - as was Adele - and a combative seam-bowling allrounder for Boland. He played 53 first-class and 54 list A matches for the province's A and B teams, and captained them 17 times.
You can take the umpire out of the Boland and send them far and wide, but good luck taking the Boland out of the umpire. Erasmus is that umpire; loyal to his people and his place, a credit to the game, and an example for future generations to follow.
Enjoy all the golf, Marais. You've earned it.
