Former cricketer O K Ramdas dead

Thiruvananthapuram: Former captain of the Kerala Ranji Trophy cricket team O K Ramdas died at a hospital here on Wednesday. He was 74 and survived by his wife and a son.

His end came this morning while being treated for some ailment, an official of the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) said.

Ramdas had played 35 Ranji Trophy matches for Kerala from 1968/69 to 1980/81, and scored 1647 runs with 11 fifties. His highest score 83 was against Tamil Nadu at University Stadium here on December 1, 1972, KCA said in a release.

He had also played a match against Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, for Kerala Chief Ministers eleven at University Stadium here from 8 to 10 January 1971, it said.

Ramdas served also as the BCCI match referee from 1998/99 and 2002/03.

He led the Kerala side in one Ranji Trophy Match against Tamil Nadu from 13 to 15 December 1979 at the Madras Cricket Club Ground, Chepauk.

His cremation will be held in Kannur on Thursday.