South Africa cricket icon Mike Procter passes away at 77

Renowned South African all-rounder Mike Procter has passed away at the age of 77, as confirmed by his family. Procter, who played seven Tests for South Africa before their international cricket ban in 1970 due to apartheid, spent 14 seasons with Gloucestershire and later coached South Africa upon their return to the international cricket scene.

His wife, Maryna, revealed to South African website News24 that he faced complications during surgery. Gloucestershire expressed their condolences, lowering the club’s flag to half-mast until the beginning of the County Championship season on April 5.

Former teammate David Graveney praised Procter’s contributions, highlighting his resilience despite playing through knee pain. Procter, known for his exceptional all-round skills, won six out of seven Tests against Australia between 1967 and 1970, taking 41 wickets at an impressive average of 15.02 before his international career was curtailed.

In his 401 first-class games from 1965 to 1988, Procter amassed 1,417 wickets at an average of 19.53. He captained Gloucestershire to victory in the Gillette Cup and the Benson and Hedges Cup, earning him the title of the county’s greatest overseas player in 2020.

Procter served as the Proteas coach from 1991 to 1994, leading the team to the semi-finals of the 1992 World Cup. Later, he became an International Cricket Council match referee, notably overseeing the forfeiture of the Oval Test between England and Pakistan in 2006 due to a ball-tampering controversy.

His impact extended to disciplinary matters as he banned India’s Harbhajan Singh for three Tests in 2008 for alleged racial abuse of Australia’s Andrew Symonds. The ban was lifted shortly afterward when the charges were downgraded to the use of abusive language.

Scroll to Top