Peter van der Merwe (cricketer)

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Peter Laurence van der Merwe (14 March 1937 – 23 January 2013) was a South African cricketer and captain. He played 15 Test matches for South Africa between 1963 and 1967. He was a right‑handed batsman and a slow left‑arm orthodox bowler, but as his batting improved, his bowling became less important and he did not bowl in first‑class cricket after 1963–64. He led South Africa to series wins against England in 1965 and Australia in 1966–67, becoming the first Afrikaner to captain the national team.

Early life and career
- Born in Paarl, South Africa. He studied at St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown and the University of Cape Town.
- He began first‑class cricket as Western Province’s main left‑arm spinner for South African Universities and was part of the Fezela XI that toured England in 1961.

Domestic cricket
- He played for Western Province (1958–66) and then for Eastern Province (1966–69), captaining both teams.
- He showed strong leadership early, captaining Western Province at 23 and serving as vice‑captain on the 1963–64 tour to Australasia despite limited Test experience.

Notable performances
- In the first Test at Johannesburg in 1966–67, he scored 76 and shared a crucial 221‑run seventh‑wicket stand with Denis Lindsay, helping South Africa gain a big lead and win the match.
- He also contributed important partnerships in other Tests, including a 98‑run stand with Graeme Pollock in 1965.

Captaincy and impact
- Van der Merwe captained South Africa in eight Tests, winning four and losing one.
- The 1966–67 series against Australia was South Africa’s first-ever series win against Australia.
- He was praised for his thoughtful leadership and team spirit. Christopher Martin‑Jenkins described him as a thoughtful, shrewd captain who inspired strong team unity.
- He was the first Afrikaner to captain South Africa.

Writing, referee work and death
- He wrote an Afrikaans cricket book in 1967, Wenkrieket So Word Dit Gespeel.
- Later, he worked as a match referee.
- He died in Port Elizabeth on 23 January 2013, aged 75, after a period of ill health.