Mike Procter: SA cricket great who always gave country his ‘best innings’, passes away

Mighty Mike Procter, the legendary fast bowler and fierce batsman, who also served his country as the national team’s first post-isolation coach, died in an Umhlanga private hospital on Saturday, 17 February.

The 77-year-old Test cricketer – who was also an international cricket referee – suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday this week while he was undergoing surgery. Sadly, Procter did not regain consciousness before his passing.

RIP Mike Procter: Wife confirms cricket star’s death

Procter’s death was confirmed by his wife, Maryna, with whom the late great shared two daughters

“Mike passed away peacefully at 4.34pm surrounded by his family,” she said.

He suffered a complication during surgery and, while in ICU, went into cardiac arrest. He became unconscious and unfortunately never woke up.

International career cut short by isolation

Procter was considered one of the top-10 all-rounders of all time and left an indelible mark on the game until his retirement in 1988.

His promising international playing career with South Africa was however cut short in 1970 due to the country’s isolation from world cricket.

This followed the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) refusal to acknowledge South Africa as a member as a result of apartheid.

Procter wrote in his book, South Africa: The Years of Isolation and Return to International Cricket, about his initial frustration and anger as a flamboyant sportsman who just stepped into the international limelight.

“I was hurt, disappointed, angry at our own government and at world cricket’s ruling authority. An international sportsman can’t wait to have a go at opposition of equal stature, to test his mettle at the highest level. Now we South Africans were out in the cold.”

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Mighty Mike Procter: The bowler and the batsman

Before the ban, South Africa won six of the seven Tests in which he played, all against Australia.

Procter was feared most for his fast and furious bowling, taking 41 wickets at an average of 15.02 runs in his seven Tests.

But he was also a swash-buckling batsman, and equalled a world batting record when he hit six first-class centuries in successive innings against the then Rhodesia between 1970 and 1971, culminating in a career-best 254 against Western Province.

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Coach, captain and first-class cricketer

When South Africa finally returned to international cricket in 1991, Procter became coach of the Proteas and led them to the semi-finals of the 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australasia.

Procter played first-class cricket for 16 years, including 14 seasons with English county Gloucestershire, five of them as captain, where he achieved legendary status.

In South Africa, he played most of his cricket for his home province of Natal.

He scored 21 082 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 36.92, hitting 47 centuries, and took 1 357 wickets at an average of 19.07 runs.

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— Additional reporting by © Agence France-Presse