The Proteas will wear black armbands in the second and final Test against Bangladesh starting in Dhaka on Thursday (05:30 SA time) in honour of former South African all-rounder Clive Rice who died on Tuesday morning. He was 66.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat, made the announcement on Tuesday.
“Clive Rice was the first captain post unity and he qualifies to be respected in the form of the Proteas wearing a black armband. Anybody before 1991 whether from whichever South African cricket board that existed we don’t wear a black armband. We respect them in different ways. We honour their passing in different ways but not by means of wearing a black armband,” said Lorgat.
Rice, who was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1981, died in a Cape Town hospital after losing his battle against a brain tumour.
Rice had collapsed in February this year, before visiting India earlier this year to receiving robotic radiation treatment at Bangalore’s Health Care Global Hospital.
Rice played three One Day Internationals for South Africa following the country’s return from sporting isolation – against India in 1991.
Mere months later he was controversially left out of the squads for the one-off Test against the West Indies and the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
The former Transvaal ‘Mean Machine’ captain played 482 first class matches, scoring 26 331 runs at an average of 40.95.
He also took 930 wickets at an average of 22.49.
Rice is survived by his wife Sue and two children.
Tributes have poured in for Rice, from former team-mate Craig Matthews, fellow SA all-rounder Mike Procter and SA-born England star Kevin Pietersen.
