Tributes pour in for Clive Rice
Clive Rice died while being treated for septicaemia in a Johannesburg hospital.
CAPE TOWN - Former South Africa cricket player Clive Rice has passed away at the age of 66.
Rice died in a Johannesburg hospital on Tuesday morning after being admitted after having serious stomach pains.
The Rice family said he had died while being treated for septicaemia.
His death comes after a long battle with a cancer-related brain tumour.
He first took ill in February this year after collapsing at his home.
He then sought treatment in India soon after, where he received robotic radiation treatment at Bangalore's Health Care Global Hospital.
Doctors in South Africa told him there was nothing they could do for him, and after surgery in India in March this year, Rice described it as a success and a miracle.
But following the initial success of the operation, the 66-year-old contracted an infection and was admitted to hospital on Sunday.
REACTION
RIP Clive Rice. I recall one of my favourite newspaper posters: You can't Cook without Rice!
RIP Clive Rice. I recall one of my favourite newspaper posters: You can't Cook without Rice!
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) July 28, 2015
Deepest sympathy and condolences to the Rice family during this very difficult time. Clive Rice, a true legend of South African cricket.
Deepest sympathy and condolences to the Rice family during this very difficult time. Clive Rice, a true legend of South African cricket.
— Shaun Bartlett (@shaunbart9) July 28, 2015
Sorry to hear about the passing of Clive Rice "ricey"..astute captain and a man that played the game hard!! Rip #CliveRice
Sorry to hear about the passing of Clive Rice "ricey"..astute captain and a man that played the game hard!! Rip #CliveRice
— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) July 28, 2015
The 2nd of the 5 gr8 1980s all-rounders has died. RIP Clive Rice (Pic: Hadlee, Rice RIP, Dev, Botham, Marshall RIP) pic.twitter.com/f9RmT71zRN
The 2nd of the 5 gr8 1980s all-rounders has died. RIP Clive Rice (Pic: Hadlee, Rice RIP, Dev, Botham, Marshall RIP) pic.twitter.com/f9RmT71zRN
— Jeremy Ruane (@Scousek1w1) July 28, 2015
. @darrenbicknell pays tribute to Clive Rice, a man of whom he was in awe: http://t.co/sg3jnYu6Mr pic.twitter.com/jIAqE1CFvi
.@darrenbicknell pays tribute to Clive Rice, a man of whom he was in awe: http://t.co/sg3jnYu6Mr pic.twitter.com/jIAqE1CFvi
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) July 28, 2015
This man was my childhood hero. I wanted to be like him on the cricket field. Fearless. Unrelenting #RIP #CliveRice pic.twitter.com/l8P7gEzudN
This man was my childhood hero. I wanted to be like him on the cricket field. Fearless. Unrelenting #RIP #CliveRice pic.twitter.com/l8P7gEzudN
— C A R L (@CastingSA_II) July 28, 2015
Our deepest sympathies & condolences go out to the Rice family as well as friends & fans of Clive. #RIPCliveRice pic.twitter.com/GxXlS9PRUQ
- Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) July 28, 2015
RICEY!
Born Clive Edward Butler Rice on 23 July 1949, he went on to represent South Africa on only three occasions, due to South Africa's sporting isolation during the years of Apartheid.
He still went on to become one of the country's greatest ever all-rounders.
He began his career with the then Transvaal in 1969 and received his first call up to the national side for the tour of Australia in 1971-72.
The tour was ultimately cancelled, and Rice's international career put on hold.
He continued to play domestic cricket where he successfully led the Transvaal team of the 1980's known as the "Mean Machine" to three domestic one-day competition victories.
In the latter years of his career he played for and captained Natal.
Rice would also go on to play county cricket in England, representing Nottinghamshire, and due to South Africa's sporting boycott, he then went on to represent Scotland in the late 1980's.
Rice would however still go on to play for the country of his birth.
At age 42 he played in, and captained, South Africa's first One Day International, in a match against India at Eden Gardens, Calcutta.
Rice finished with averages of 13 with the bat and 57 with the ball from his three One Day International matches.
