Dubai [UAE]: The former Zimbabwean cricketer Jackie du Preez passed away on Wednesday in Harare due to a long-standing heart condition, International Cricket Council (ICC) said.
He was born in Salisbury (now called Harare) on November 14, 1942 and played in the South African domestic cup competition becoming one of the dominant players in the tournament.
The leg-spinner played for South Africa in Zimbabwe's pre-independence days. He played two Tests for South Africa in 1967.
In addition to his two Test matches that season he also had the outstanding return of 6/95 in 32 overs in the three-day tour match between Australia and Rhodesia which played a major role in his Test match selection.
Du Preez was part of the South African team that beat Australia 3-1 in a five-match Test series in 1996/97. He took three wickets in the two matches with best figures of 2/22.
Jackie was also an outstanding fielder and combined with Eddie Barlow in a boundary edge double play to run out Bill Lawry before the Australian opening batsman had faced a ball in the final Test match of that series at St. George’s Park.
Du Preez didn't represent South Africa thereafter but enjoyed a long and successful first-class career. He picked up 296 wickets in 120 first-class matches.
He also enjoyed enough success with the bat so as to be labelled an all-rounder, scoring 4,063 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 23.76, including one century and 19 fifties.
He later spent a period as a member of Zimbabwe Cricket's selection panel.
The South Africa Cricket Association also paid their tributes to Du Preez.
“On behalf of the CSA Family I extend our deepest condolences his family, friends and cricketing colleagues,” commented Cricket South Africa’s Acting Chief Executive Dr. Jacques Faul.
