Legendary South African cricketer and Hollywoodbets Brand Ambassador Mike Procter has passed away. The all-rounder who was affectionately known as “Proccie”, was with his family when he died.
Born in Durban in 1946, Mike was educated at Hilton College where he excelled and got to play for Natal in the Nuffield week Week and later for SA Schools in 1963 and 1964.
Described as “Colourful, swashbuckling and devastatingly good,” by The Cricket Monthly, Mike came from a family of cricketers, his father Woodrow Procter, his brother Anthony Procter, and his cousin Andrew Procter were all distinguished first-class cricketers., Mike was known as a destructive batter who scored more than 21 000 runs in a first-class career that spanned more than three decades. It was not only with the bat that he gained notoriety, a right-arm fast bowler, his bowling action was described as seeming to bowl off the wrong foot, but he actually let the ball go before his front foot and threw his chest forward in what was described as an act of hostility and created chaos for batsmen who faced him. He took 1 417 First Class wickets in 401 games that he played, achieving 15, ten-wicket hauls and 70 five-wicket hauls.
In his long cricket career, he played for Natal, Western Province, the then Orange Free State and Rhodesia. But it was for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club that he played the longest. He spent 15 seasons with the club.
Gloucestershire Cricket is devastated to learn of the passing of former player and Club legend, Mike Procter, aged 77.
Everyone at Gloucestershire Cricket would like to send their best wishes to Mike’s family during this terribly sad time.
— Gloucestershire Cricket (@Gloscricket) February 17, 2024
Having played during the isolation period, Mike’s test career was limited. He was only able to make seven appearances for South Africa. But in those seven games that he played for South Africa, he took 41 wickets and scored 226 runs. He made his test Test debut against Australia in 1967 at Kingsmead stadium where South Africa won by 8 wickets. His last test Test was also against the men from down under at St George’s Park in 1970. In a side that featured great cricketers like Barry Richards, Graeme and Peter Pollock among others, Mike was one of the outstanding players as he took nine wickets in the game against the Aussies.
After retiring, he focussed on coaching and became South Africa’s first coach after the isolation period ended and was a member of the International Cricket Council’s panel of test Test referees from 2006 to 2008. In 2020, he joined Hollywoodbets as a Brand Ambassador where he shared his passion for giving back to the community with the Purple Family and the South African cricketing community.
A true cricketing icon, Mike will be sorely missed.
