Devi Worrel dies a forgotten man

Devi Worrel, who played for Southern Punjab in the early to mid 1960s, died on August 19. He was 67 and had been in ill health for a number of years.

Worrel, a useful opening swing bowler, learnt his cricket under, among others, Lala Amanath, and he earned his nickname, Worell, after bowling the Frank Worrell in the first over of a friendly match for Patiala in the 1950s.

He made his debut aged 14 for Patiala in the Ranji Trophy in 1954-55, failing to take a wicket. He had to wait almost seven years for his next first-class outing, this time for Southern Punjab. In six matches for them over five seasons he took 11 wickets, six coming in one innings when he took 6 for 17 against Jammu and Kashmir in 1963-64.

After finishing his playing career he went on to coach school and college teams in Chandigarh.

In later years he was dogged by ill health, suffering from diabetes and heart problems. He had to have a foot amputated and also had several heart attacks. At the time of his death he was almost penniless.

"When I look back today, I feel I would have been better off as a labourer since the game gave me nothing," he told the Tribune in 2005. "This is the fate of a sportsman in our country. Today, I feel deserted, unwanted and dejected. Looking at my state of affairs I have arrived at the conclusion that it is very important for a cricketer to be born into a rich family. The ordinary man gets nowhere in the game, gets left behind in the race to the top.

"I'll never regain my lost glory but I long for a piece of sky as I stand on the cricket ground. It's a dream. I wish I can stand again, live to realise it," he said. "I want this misery to end. I deserve a better end."