Rusi Cooper, who was the oldest-living first-class cricketer in the world, having celebrated his 100th birthday on December 22 last year passed away today morning in Mumbai. Cooper made a handful of appearances for Middlesex, between 1949 and 1951, making his first-class debut for the club against Cambridge University at Fenners in May 1949, when he made 36 of Middlesex’s first innings total of 402 for 4 declared. In total he made surprisingly few appearances for the club, considering he finished his first-class career with a batting average of 52.39, although for Middlesex, in eight matches, his average of just 19.63 and a highest score of 54 belied the quality he had. 

A contributing factor in Cooper making only fleeting appearances at Lord’s in this era becomes clear, when you consider that he would have had to dislodge the likes of Jack Robertson, Denis Compton, Bill Edrich and Gubby Allen to secure a regular place in the side. In the 1943-44 and 1944-45 seasons he represented Bombay in the Ranji Trophy. Cooper was the last surviving player from the Pentangular Tournament, which ceased after the 1945-46 season. He is also the longest-lived first-class player in the history of Middlesex.His cricket career had stalled on his return to India due to a serious knee injury, but he was still an avid spectator and follower of the game.