Former England batsman Geoff Pullar dies aged 79

Former England batsman Geoff Pullar has died aged 79. A tall, strong left-hander, Pullar played 28 Tests, making his debut against India in July 1959. He was also named one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1960.

Pullar played 400 first-class games, scoring 21528 runs at 35.34, representing Lancashire and Gloucestershire among other teams. In Tests, he scored 1974 runs at an average of 43.86 with four hundreds and 12 fifties.

Though he started as a middle-order batsman, his strong technique forced the selectors to play him as an opener, and Pullar responded with 75 against India in Headingley, and 131 at Old Trafford - the first Test century scored by a Lancastrian on his home ground. Pullar's final match was against Australia in Adelaide in January 1963.