Kolkata, June 27 (IANS) Former Bengal cricket captain Shyam Sundar Mitra (82) breathed his last at a city hospital on Thursday morning following prolonged illness, sources in Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) said.

Mitra, a top-order batsman, played 59 first class matches averaging 50.13 with a career best score of 155.

Terming it a great loss for Bengal cricket, CAB Joint Secretary Avishek Dalmiya said: "It's really very sad and disheartening to hear about his demise. He was a leader on and off the field and a perfect gentleman. He was a great statesman and one of the leading cricketers Bengal have produced. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved."

The CAB had conferred Mitra with Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.

--IANS dm/kk/arm