In the 1944-45 Ranji final, Cooper’s 52 and 104 helped skipper Vijay Merchant - who scored 278 in the second innings - register a memorable triumph
Rusi Cooper during a three-day warm-up tie between India ‘A’ and England at Brabourne in 2012. Pic/mid-day archives
Rusi Cooper, who helped Mumbai (then Bombay) to outclass a CK Nayudu-led Holkar team by 374 runs to win the 1944-45 Ranji Trophy final at the Brabourne Stadium, passed away at his South Mumbai residence on Monday.
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Cooper celebrated his 100th birthday on December 14 last year.
In the 1944-45 Ranji final, Cooper’s 52 and 104 helped skipper Vijay Merchant—who scored 278 in the second innings—register a memorable triumph.
Batting first, riding on Rusi Modi (98), Uday Merchant (79) and Yeshwant Palwankar (75), Bombay scored 462 in the first innings. Thanks to Dattu Phadkar’s 5-75, Holkar were bowled out for 360. In the second innings, Bombay amassed 764, in which Modi contributed 151. Holkar’s Denis Compton (249 not out) and Mushtaq Ali (130) tried their best, but the visitors were bowled out for 492.
Cooper also represented Middlesex, scoring 1,205 runs in 22 first-class matches.