Vale Mike Procter

[010203]

Legendary former South African all-rounder, coach and selector Mike Procter has passed away aged 77 as a result of complications following heart surgery. Through no fault of his own, Procter played just 7 tests, 6 of which yielded victory for South Africa, all of which were against Australia and was part of South Africa's 4-0 series win at home to Australia in 1970, which was South Africa's last series win against Australia. Proctor took an impressive 41 wickets in 7 tests. His best figures with the ball 6-23 as South Africa beat Australia by 323 runs in Port Elizabeth. In his final test series, he averaged a commendable 34 with the willow. In his career he averaged 25 with the bat.

From 1968 to 1981, Procter played 259 first-class matches for Gloucestershire scoring 14,441 runs at an average of 36.19, scoring 32 centuries with a highest score of 209 against Essex in 1978. He claimed 833 first class wickets at at an average of 19.56, with a best figures of 8-30 against Worcestershire in 1979. In a Benson & Hedges Cup semi-final at Southampton in 1977 against Kent, he took 4 wickets in 5 balls, including Barry Richards and Gordon Greenidge as Gloucestershire qualified for the final which they won against Sussex.

Procter was named was named as one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year in 1970, thanks to a 103-wicket season for Gloucestershire in 1969. At Taunton in August 1979, he secured another niche entry in the record books by slamming Somerset's Dennis Breakwell for six consecutive sixes, albeit not in the same over.

Procter also represented Natal where he replicated Don Bradman and CB Fry by scoring six centuries in consecutive innings, starting with 174 from 203 balls against North Eastern Transvaal on New Year's Day 1971, and encompassing a career-best 254 against West Province.

He was South Africa's coach when they returned to international cricket, convener of selectors and the man who get very, very, very excited when it looked like Lance Klusener was going to win the famous 1999 World Cup semi final. We all know how that finished!

Procter was the match referee for the most infamous test held here since the Bodyline series, which was against India at the SCG in 2008. He was said to be devastated when the 3 match ban given to Harbhajan Singh was downgraded due to fears India would head home from their tour of Australia. In his autobiography he said ''Cricket Australia has leant heavily on the players to take racism charge away, and instead make it a matter of abuse''.

 

[Santana]

RIP, top 5 all rounders of all time

 

[Rabish Binney]

Bloody sad news.

South Arica produced a couple of the best all rounders that you would see in cricket (Proctor; Eddie Barlow and Clive Rice) who were unable to fully showcase their talents at test level due to the apartheid ban (although Barlow did play 30 tests)

Highly respected by the whole cricket world.

 

[PhatBoy]

A player I am genuinely so sad to have never been able to have either seen live and to have not been able to have been able to play out his career at the top level. Stories of him are legendary. Bowling off the wrong foot, homespun technique etc

RIP

 

[worbod]

In a Benson & Hedges Cup semi-final at Southampton in 1977 against Kent, he took 4 wickets in 5 balls, including Barry Richards and Gordon Greenidge as Gloucestershire qualified for the final which they won against Sussex.

There is footage of this hat trick on YouTube. It comes from a program titled View from the Box by Brian Johnston. When watching the footage remember that the first wicket is then separated by the non-wicket delivery, which is not shown, with the hat trick then following.

 

[JackFlash]

One of the greatest cricketers of all time, arguably the 2nd greatest All Rounder of all time. Proctor was fast and had a long run, he terrorised Australia in 1970 and if allowed to have had a full Test Career would've certainly been more well known. He could bat and was equally capable of scoring a century as he was taking 5 wickets in an innings.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Geez I completely missed this announcement. Vale Mike Procter.

I have no doubt if he was allowed to play test cricket post 1970, his record would have been the equal of the big 4 all rounders who played from the late 70's to early 90's - Dev, Botham, Khan and Hadlee.

Shaun Pollock is the 5th Beatle in that respect of the 10 guys that have done the 3,000 runs + 300 wickets double and soon to be joined by Jadeja who after 71 tests has hit 3,000 runs and taken 292 wickets and will beat all of them to the double, except for Botham who got to the double in 72 tests, if Jadeja takes 8 wickets in Dharamsala next week. Imran Khan got there in 75 tests, Dev 83 and Hadlee 83.

I was lucky enough to see Mike Procter play thru World Series Cricket, both tests and ODs. That video of the English OD semi final above, was a few months before WSC started, and it was played over and over to promote who he was to the Aussie public. He was a bloody difficult bowler to face and could smack a ball to the boundary.

I guess guys who watched a lot of County cricket, and South African domestic cricket between late 1960's and 1970's would be best to rank him against the big 4 and where he stood against them.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Just on Procter's World Series Super Test record, he played in 4 of the possible 6 tests the World XI played over 2 summers. The World XI won all 4 of those tests against Australia, to go with the 6 tests he won against Australia in his 7 tests.

He took 14 wickets at 16.07 the second lowest average of all bowlers, with only Garth Le Roux lower at 15.88 taking 17 wickets in 3 tests.

World Series Cricket - Bowling Averages

World Series Cricket - Best Bowling Averages

www.howstat.com

And his batting was 7 Innings 1 not out 182 runs average 30.66 and 2 scores over 50.

Michael Procter - Player Overview - World Series Cricket

Michael J Procter - World Series Cricket - Player Overview

www.howstat.com

This is Howstats WSC main page. They only have Super Tests stats, no OD stats.

WSC - Records and Statistics

World Series Cricket - Records and Statistics

www.howstat.com

 

[Gough]

Geez I completely missed this announcement. Vale Mike Procter.

I have no doubt if he was allowed to play test cricket post 1970, his record would have been the equal of the big 4 all rounders who played from the late 70's to early 90's - Dev, Botham, Khan and Hadlee.

Shaun Pollock is the 5th Beatle in that respect of the 10 guys that have done the 3,000 runs + 300 wickets double and soon to be joined by Jadeja who after 71 tests has hit 3,000 runs and taken 292 wickets and will beat all of them to the double, except for Botham who got to the double in 72 tests, if Jadeja takes 8 wickets in Dharamsala next week. Imran Khan got there in 75 tests, Dev 83 and Hadlee 83.

I was lucky enough to see Mike Procter play thru World Series Cricket, both tests and ODs. That video of the English OD semi final above, was a few months before WSC started, and it was played over and over to promote who he was to the Aussie public. He was a bloody difficult bowler to face and could smack a ball to the boundary.

I guess guys who watched a lot of County cricket, and South African domestic cricket between late 1960's and 1970's would be best to rank him against the big 4 and where he stood against them.

Andy Murtagh in his book on Barry Richards said it was widely accepted that it was him and not Viv who was the best batsman in County cricket in the 70s.

 

[Dipper]

There is footage of this hat trick on YouTube. It comes from a program titled View from the Box by Brian Johnston. When watching the footage remember that the first wicket is then separated by the non-wicket delivery, which is not shown, with the hat trick then following.

Apparently Mark Nicholas was a kid operating the scoreboard and he said that the batsman who came in to face the 6th ball was plumb LBW too but the umpire couldn't bring himself to raise his finger.