da realbet： Hard work and perseverance pays in any field
Staff Reporter25-Feb-2002Hard work and perseverance pays in any field. And cricket has been nodifferent. Sanjay Bangar finally saw it pay off at the VidarbhaCricket Association stadium at Nagpur on Sunday.Talking to newsmen after the end of the day’s play, the Railways’ allrounder appeared more than satisfied on reaching his first Testcentury against the visiting Zimbabweans. “It was a wonderful feeling.I dedicate this to my mother who is no more and my family members,”said the 29-year-old cricketer from Beed, Maharashtra.Having rung home after the delightful knock, Bangar poignantlyrecollected all the years of hard work, and the support from coachJohn Wright and skipper Sourav Ganguly that helped his cause. “I wouldlike to thank the team management and my captain who have helped mereached my first Test hundred. I was in the nineties when the call fora declaration had arrived. Yet I was given the chance of going in forthe much needed runs before the innings concluded.”It had been quite a struggle for Bangar after having failed to performto his fullest potential in his first Test against the Englishmen atMohali. Having finally made a return to the national side at the costof the latest sensation Virendra Sehwag, Bangar did prove his worth tothe five wise men who make up the BCCI Selection Committee.A prolific run-getter that he has been in the domestic circuit inrecent times, Bangar asserted that “the double century against TamilNadu (in the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals) did boost my confidence.”Bangar also said that he was not under any kind of pressure whileplaying with Sachin Tendulkar. Scoring at a faster clip than themaster batsman, Bangar smashed 12 boundaries and two sixes on his wayto his first Test hundred in just his second Test.”Sachin helped me a lot with minute instructions – where to go forruns, how to be comfortable while at the crease, which bowler to goafter and a few more,” the modest cricketer said.On whether he became nervous at any point of time in the nineties, hestated, “I just went for my shots, it was my day. There wereinstructions to collect as many runs as possible in the next twentyovers and that is exactly what I tried to do.”He accepted that he tried to protect his wicket on Saturday to startafresh on Sunday. “We were already five down and still needed to getsome runs on the board,” he explained.As for the ground, Bangar felt that the VCA had always been lucky forhim.Asked if Sourav Ganguly had under-bowled him in the first innings, heshrugged away the suggestion, saying, “I cannot comment. It was theteam management’s decision.”