India's oldest first-class cricketer dead

BENGALURU: India's oldest first-class cricketer and former captain of Mysore - as Karnataka was called till 1974 - B K Garudachar passed away today in the city aged 99.

A right-hand batsman and a leg-break bowler, Garudachar made 1126 runs at an average of 29.63 from 27 matches in first-class cricket between 1935 and 1946.

Born on January 13, 1917 in Chikamagalur, Karnataka, Garudachar graduated in engineering from the Benares University, and started playing for Mysore before representing United Province and Bombay in the 1940s.

As a bowler, Garudachar finished his career with exactly 100 wickets, which included seven five-fors and three ten-wicket match hauls.

His only century came against the Holkar team in the 1946 Ranji Trophy semi-final.