Renowned cricket journalist and former Gleaner Sports Editor Tony Becca passed away 

His wife Cecilia, confirmed his passing. The Melbourne Cricket Club stalwart was pronounced dead at 4:50 a.m. at the Andrews Memorial Hospital, weeks after contracting dengue fever.

He had been showing signs of improvement but things took a turn for the worse this week when he suffered a ruptured colon, requiring an emergency surgical procedure on Tuesday.

He died of cardiac arrest this morning. He was 78 years old.

Becca, born November 10, 1940, had been battling a series of illnesses over the past few years.