Mike PROCTER

Mike Procter, the South African all-rounder, would have played far more than seven Test

matches had his Government's apartheid policies not kept his national team off the World stage.

He carried the torch of fast bowling in World cricket from the retirement of Trueman and Statham

to the arrival of Dennis Lillee and Andy Roberts, and there were few more fearsome sights than

the heavily-built, mop-haired Procter tearing in from 30 yards like a runaway brick wall and

bowling off the wrong foot. The fact that he was an international class middle order bat as well

just egged the pudding. His father played for Eastern Province and Mike made his Test debut

against Bobby Simpson's Australians in the third Test of 1966-7 at Durban. He opened the bowling

with Peter Pollock, taking 3-27 and 4-71. There were six more wickets in the fourth Test.

Against Bill Lawry's Australian team in 1969-70 he took five wickets or more in each of the first

three Tests and 3-30 and 6-73 in the last at Port Elizabeth.

He usually contributed around 50 runs in his two innings. Procter was chosen for the tours

of England in 1970 and Australia in 1971-72, both of which were cancelled. He was part of

Garry Sobers Rest of the World team in England in 1970, taking 5-46 and scoring 51 in the

unofficial Test at the Oval. In a match between Rhodesia and an International Wanderers XI

with nine Test players in 1972 he scored 114 and 131 and took 4-20. He played in one of the

World Series Supertests of 1977-78, taking 4-33 for the World against Australia at the Sydney

Showground, and in 1978-79 made 66 against Australia at Melbourne's VFL Park and scored

56 and took 3-36 against the West Indies in Sydney. (Bob Harragan).

Mike Procter died on Saturday 17th February 2024 aged 77,of cardiac arrest due

to complications during heart surgery.