According to his family, Mike Procter, a former national coach and all-rounder from South Africa, was very ill and in intensive care on Monday, February 12. According to a statement that Procter’s charitable foundation, along with the actor’s wife and two children, sent to AFP, Procter was receiving treatment in a hospital close to his home city of Durban in the Indian Ocean.
“During a routine surgery last week, Mike encountered an issue. He had a cardiac event while in the intensive care unit recuperating. He’s in the intensive care unit right now, recovering. We ask that you remember him in your prayers and thoughts,” the statement read.
Between 1967 and 1970, Mike Procter participated in seven Test matches for South Africa.
His international career was cut short when South Africa’s apartheid-era government resulted in a ban on international cricket. The seven Test matches that the 77-year-old played prior to the ban were all against Australia, with the Proteas winning six of them.
His talents as a fast bowler brought him widespread recognition; in seven Test matches, he claimed 41 wickets at an average of 15.02. Mike Procter scored a few noteworthy runs in first-class and List A cricket, despite not reaching a half-century in international competition.
In 16 years, he participated in 401 first-class matches and amassed 21,936 runs at an average of 36.01. When he was playing for Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1971, he recorded his maximum score of 254 against Western Province. Procter had an impressive career, amassing 48 centuries and 109 half-centuries. For Rhodesia, the right-handed hitter hit six straight hundreds between 1970 and 1971. In addition, he spent 14 seasons as a player for Gloucestershire, leading them as captain five times. Procter went on to become a legend on the county side.
At an average of 19.53, he claimed 1,417 first-class wickets with the ball. He had the best inning total of 9/71 and seventy-five wickets. Procter participated in 271 games in List A cricket, amassing 6,624 runs at an average of 27.94. At a perfect average of 18.76, he also took 344 wickets. Following South Africa’s return to international cricket, Procter guided the team to the 1992 ODI World Cup semifinals.