MUMBAI, MAY 23: There is a lingering heaviness in his heart. His expressionless visage concealing a deep-rooted sorrow. The personal trauma and torment masked by the call of national duty.

Except for members of the Indian cricket team, a few close friends and family members, not many realise Abey Kuruvilla's tortured state of mind following the demise of Dick Hansell -- a 65-year-old Yorkshireman who was like a father to him.

To say that Hansell was an Indophile would not be wrong. To call him Mumbai cricket's benefactor would be more appropriate. But to portray him as Kuruvilla's Godfather would be apt.

Hansell was a familiar face in Mumbai's cricketing venues. Come October, he left his Yorkshire home every year to be in Mumbai for a few weeks to follow Kuruvilla's fortunes in the inter-club, inter-offices and Ranji Trophy matches, sitting unobtrusively in a corner of the ground.

``Dick was both father and mother to Abey,'' opined Abey's mother Kunjumol. Mrs Kuruvilla recalled how an excited Hansell, glued to the TV set, used to ring them up late in the night from England whenever Abey took a wicket.

Kuruvilla has a big fan following in Ole Blighty and a sizeable contingent followed him into the West Indies to cheer him up. But nothing would have cheered him up more than the presence of Hansell who flew into the Caribbean Islands to watch the apple of his eye in action during the Barbados and Antigua Tests.

Hansell's close friend, former England paceman Frank Tyson -- the two played for Durham University -- said from Australia: ``I firmly believe that it was Dick's involvement with Indian cricket that kept him alive after the death of his wife in 1991.''

As Kuruvilla revealed: ``He was genuine supporter of Indian cricket. Even when India played England.''

Besides Kuruvilla, others to benefit from Hansell's altruism were players like Paras Mhambrey, Salil Ankola, Sanjay Manjrekar, Sairaj Bahutule, Jatin Paranjpe, Iqbal Khan and Ajay Jadeja. He helped players get English league contracts without charging them a penny and throwing open his house to them and their families for months.

As Abey's father, AK Kuruvilla, said: ``Mumbai cricketers were never homesick in Great Britain because of Dick.'' England, thus, will never be the same again for many Indian cricketers.

Life is a great leveller. Just two months back, Kuruvilla's professional and personal life was like a helium-filled balloon -- soaring into the skies. He had found the dream girl of his life, got a handsome job with an attractive designation and salary to match and most importantly achieved the biggest objective of his career by earning a place on the national team.

The tour was of the West Indies was a personal triumph for Kuruvilla. But the hero returned home to Mumbai to be savaged by the numbing news -- Dick had died peacefully in sleep at home on the very day the Indian team were flying home from Bermuda.

At the back of his mind, Kuruvilla knew that Hansell was over the moon and on cloud nine over his success in the West Indies. He had ensured that his soul will rest in peace. Adieu, Dick. You were no any Tom or Harry.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.