Cricket South Africa (CSA) mourns the passing of Mike Procter, one of the game's greatest all-rounders, who has died at the age of 77.
CSA President Rihan Richards said: "Mike was not just a giant on the field but a beacon of hope and inspiration off it. His commitment to transforming the game, ensuring its growth among all sectors of our population, and mentoring hundreds of underprivileged youngsters in the Durban area, stands as a testament to his character and passion for cricket."
Procter's career as a fast bowler, capable off-spinner, hard-hitting middle-order batter and astute captain is etched in the annals of cricket history. And beyond his playing days, he served the game in every conceivable role - as a national captain and coach, administrator, selector, commentator, elite ICC match referee and, notably, then dedicating his final years to coaching underprivileged children.
"Mike's contributions to cricket, both on and off the field, have left an indelible mark on the sport, His efforts to promote cricket among the youth and his dedication to transformation have enriched our cricketing community and opened doors for young talent to emerge. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations," Chairman of CSA’s Board of Directors Lawson Naidoo said.
Procter's achievements, including his remarkable record of twice taking a hat-trick and scoring a century in the same match, and his world-record six consecutive Currie Cup centuries for Rhodesia as it was then in 1970-71, highlight his extraordinary talent and impact on the game. Despite the sporting boycott against apartheid that limited his Test appearances, Procter's performances remained legendary. He enthralled fans who turned out to watch him perform for Natal, Gloucestershire and Western Province. He was also coach at the Free State Cricket Union where he worked with some of South Africa’s greatest cricket talent.
Procter was born on 15 September 1946 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. At Highbury Preparatory School, he scored five centuries, including 210 not out against an Under- 13 Transvaal side. A natural athlete, his contribution to school sports at Hilton College was enormous. He was one of the most versatile sports boys of his time, having excelled in rugby, cricket, hockey, squash, lawn tennis and athletics. He was the flyhalf in the Rugby XV at Hilton College.
Procter played for Natal schools in the Nuffield week and for South African schools in 1963 and 1964. He was also blessed with incredible leadership skills from a very early age. This was clearly demonstrated when he served as the vice-captain to Barry Richards in the South African Schools side which toured England in 1963. Procter inherited a love of cricket from his late father, Woodrow Procter, who while still at school, played for Eastern Province.
Procter made his Test debut for South Africa against Australia on 20 January 1967 and in the same year he was adjudicated as the South African Cricketer of the Year. The international ban on South Africa restricted his Test career to a mere seven appearances, all of them against Australia between 1967 and 1970. He took 41 wickets at an average of 15.02.
Procter played for the Rest of the World versus England in 1970 and took 15 wickets at an average of 23.9 in five Test-format matches. In 1978/79, towards the end of his playing career, Procter played for the World XI in Kerry Packer’s World Series of Cricket in Australia. He performed with bat and ball in the three ‘Super Tests’ in which he played – his batting average was 34.2 and his bowling average 18.6. Procter later served as the captain of the South African Cricket team against the English rebels XI in 1982.
He played his domestic cricket for Natal (1965/66 – 1968/69 and 1988/89), Western Province (1969/70), Rhodesia (1970/71 – 1975/76) and Orange Free State (1987/88). In 1970, Procter joined Sir Donald Bradman and CB Fry as the only batsmen at that time to score six successive first-class centuries, a feat he accomplished for Rhodesia.
He played county cricket in England for 13 years as an overseas player for Gloucestershire and led them to great success, with his loyal and dedicated fans called it Proctershire. He was the Professional Cricketers’ Association Player of the Year in 1970 and 1977 and he won the Cricket Society Wetherall Award for the Leading All-Rounder in English First Class cricket in 1978. Undoubtedly, his greatest feat was Wisden naming him the Cricketer of the Year in 1970.
As an accomplished and feared bowler, Procter was very unorthodox. He had an awkward chest on action, seeming to bowl off the wrong foot, though not actually doing so, at the end of a very long sprinting run up to the wicket. His unusual action generated late swing which was unplayable at times. Procter took four first-class hat-tricks, two of them all LBWs in consecutive matches against Leicestershire and Yorkshire. In a Benson and Hedges Cup semi-final in Southampton, England, he took four wickets in five balls, which included the wickets of Richards and Gordon Greenidge.
KZN Cricket Union’s President, Yunus Bobat indicated that Procter’s devotion to cricket was strong and unwavering. He said “it was an honour to have recognised Mike Procter at our recent 100 year celebration where we handed Mike a Kingsmead Celebration blazer as a tangible thank you for legacy that Mike has helped Kingsmead build. A true gentleman of the sport, who will be greatly missed by the KZN and South African cricket fraternity.”
Heinrich Strydom, the CEO of the KZN Cricket Union stated that Mike Procter was a kind-hearted man who was always available to share his wealth of knowledge. “On behalf of the KZN Cricket family, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to Maryna and the family. Mr Procter was a great man who served the game with distinction. May his soul rest in peace.”
Cricket South Africa extends its deepest sympathies to Procter's wife, Maryna and their children, Greg, Jessica and Tammy, during this difficult time. His passing is a great loss to the cricketing world but his legacy as a player, coach, mentor and champion of growth and transformation in the game will forever be cherished and remembered.
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