Peter van der Merwe, South African cricketer, dies

Date: 23 Jan 2013
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Peter van der Merwe, South African cricketer, dies

Peter Laurence van der Merwe was born on 14 March 1937 in Paarl, Cape Town. He began playing first-class cricket for South African Universities as a left-side spinner. Though he began as a bowler, over time his batting became better than his bowling leading him to become a dependable middle-order batsman. He captained South Africa in eight test matches and was the first Afrikaner cricketer to do so. After retirement, van der Merwe continued working in the cricket world as an administrator; becoming the first national convener of selectors and the first president of the Eastern Province Cricket Board (EPCB). He also served as an International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee for eight years. He died in Port Elizabeth on 23 January 2013. He was 75 years old and had been in poor health for a while.

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01News 24, (2013), Former Proteas skipper dies, from News24, [online], Available at www.sport24.co.za [Accessed: 15 January 2014]
02ESPN cricinfo, (2013), Peter van der Merwe dies aged 75, from ESPN, [online], Available at www.espncricinfo.com [Accessed: 15 January 2014]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2014, January 16). Peter van der Merwe, South African cricketer, dies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096872

South African History Online (2014) 'Peter van der Merwe, South African cricketer, dies', South African History Online, 16 January. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096872 (Accessed: 16 August 2026).

South African History Online, Peter van der Merwe, South African cricketer, dies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096872, (accessed 16 August 2026).

"Peter van der Merwe, South African cricketer, dies." South African History Online, 16 Jan. 2014, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096872. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Peter van der Merwe, South African cricketer, dies." South African History Online. January 16, 2014. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096872.