Former South Africa captain Clive Rice dies aged 66

South African cricketer Clive Rice died from septicaemia during the early hours of this morning.

Rice’s career was curtailed by apartheid, and he made his debut as captain at 42 when South Africa returned to worldwide cricket in 1991 with a three-game one-day series in India.

He linked up with Sir Richard Hadlee at the county following the New Zealander’s arrival at Trent Bridge in 1978 and forged a 10-year partnership which secured many honours for the club. He was handed the captaincy for the nation’s first ODI upon its return to global cricket, against India at the Eden Gardens.

Rice received robotic radiation treatment at a Bangalore hospital in March after doctors in South Africa told him there was nothing they could do for him.

The treatment seemingly went well, but Rice lost his battle on Tuesday.

Nottinghamshire added in their statement on Tuesday: “Our thoughts are with his family and friends”.

The former Transvaal captain’s first-class career comprised 482 matches in South Africa and for Nottinghamshire, and he scored 26,331 runs and took 930 wickets between 1969 and 1994.