Long-time friend and teammate Barry Richards said “a giant has fallen” as he paid tribute to former South African all-rounder Mike Proctor, who died aged 77 near Durban on Saturday.
“We were a part of each other’s lives,” Richards said of his 65-year friendship with Proctor.
Recognized as two of South Africa’s finest cricketers, Richards and Proctor played against each other as schoolboys and went on to play together for Natal Province and South Africa at both junior and international level.
“Anyone who played for Natal, Rhodesia and Gloucestershire in the 1960s and 70s knew they were in the presence of a genius,” Richards said.
Proctor and Richards partnered for four Tests, starring for South Africa as they won all four matches against Australia in 1969–70 before their international careers were cut short by international isolation caused by South Africa’s apartheid policy.
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Vintcent van der Bijl, who forged a devastating new-ball partnership for Natal with Procter, described his former team-mate as “the most unassuming big cricketer I have met”.
Van der Bijl, the former head of umpires and match officials at the International Cricket Council, said Proctor was a “warrior on the field”.
“He played the game hard and yet amateur in spirit. He ended every period before the game saying, ‘Let’s go have fun.’ He played the game the way it should always be played. It was a real privilege to play with him and against him.”
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Proctor was South Africa’s first coach when that period of international isolation ended in 1991.
Fast bowler Allan Donald made his international debut under him.
“I learned a lot from him. Listening to him was an experience. It made me realize what it takes to have the mindset of a fast bowler,” he said.
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Ali Bacher, former South African cricket chief executive, captained Procter in the series against Australia.
“He was one of the most outstanding cricketers South Africa has produced. He bowled fast, swung the deliveries and as a batsman he was good enough to have reached number five for any country in the world,” he said.
Cricket South Africa chairman Rihan Richards described Procter as “not just a giant on the field, but a beacon of hope and inspiration off it”.
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Dolphins Cricket, formerly the Natal Cricket Union, said in a statement that Procter’s legacy “will live on as an inspiration for generations to come”.
“His career as a world-class cricketer was outstanding, his leadership was remarkable and his role as a cricket administrator and coach was remarkable.”
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club has announced it will fly its flag at half-mast until the start of the English county season as a tribute to the man who played 482 matches for the club and was captain from 1977 to 1981.
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