"Old wood best to burn; old wine to drink; old friends to trust; old authors to read." this was stated by Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English politician, philosopher and essayist. This saying reminds me so much of my favourite, lovable, local cricketing idol who possesses probably, the longest name for a Test or ODI player in the world. His name is Warnakulasuriya Patabandige Usantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas (W. P. U. J. C. Vaas).
As Chaminda Vaas was overlooked for the five match ODI series against the West Indies, I thought of penning these few lines. I personally feel that Vaas should have been given a trial or chance against the West Indies to prove whether he deserves a place in the World Cup 2011 team or not. He was not included in the 16 member squad for the first two matches. There is probably a ray of hope for this old War Horse.
In cricket, I strongly believe, experience counts. Chaminda Vaas has done a great service to Sri Lanka cricket, and in my reckoning, he is the best left arm paceman in Asia, next to Wazim Akram. In my cricketing career, running into more than four decades, he has been the best seen in Sri Lanka as a left arm fast bowler.
In Test cricket, in 111 matches in 194 innings, in 23,438 balls, he captured 355 wickets, giving away 10,501 runs, at an average of 29.38. On 20 occasions he captured 04 wickets, 12 times he collected five wickets and added to those performances, twice he had a match bag of 10 wickets.
Chaminda Vaas’ One Day International (ODI) record is more impressive. In 32 innings he scored 400,014 runs, at an average of 27.53. His best bowling performance was 8 for 19 runs.
Chaminda Vaas is easily the most penetrating new ball bowler Sri Lanka possesses. As a commentator, I consider Vaas as a left arm bowler who swings and seams the ball with a lot of control, rhythm and skill. Further, I have noticed, he bowls a disguised oft cutter. His reverse swing is a dangerous weapon to all batsmen in the world.
All this made him a consistent wicket taker on sub-continental pitches. His track record is excellent.
I remember, in Napier, New Zealand, Chaminda Vaas was responsible for Sri Lanka’s first Test win on foreign soil in 1994/95. In 2001/2002, Vaas took 26 wickets in the series. Sri Lanka recorded a 3-0 victory against the West Indies. He became only the second pace bowler or fast bowler after Imran Khan of Pakistan to take 14 wickets in a match.
How can we forget his first eight wicket haul against Zimbabwe, which included a hat-trick with the first three balls?
Chaminda Vaas had the proud distinction of representing the World XI at the inaugural ICC match. If you put it in a nutshell, Chaminda Vaas is easily Sri Lanka’s second most successful bowler after the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan. Chaminda is also a useful all-rounder too and a fine fielder. His presence in a side will be a big boost to the team.
I have noticed that in most of the matches, Tests as well as ODIs, Chaminda Vaas bowls his heart out. An incident etched in my mind is how Chaminda Vaas intelligently foxed dangerous opener Mark Waugh, early, on March 17, 1996, at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, in the World Cup final. He gave the early break which helped Sri Lanka to restrict the batting machine of Australia and to annex the World Cup for the first time. As a commentator, I will never forget how he removed Mark Waugh and gave Sri Lanka a huge advantage.
Chaminda Vaas was born on January 27, 1984 at Mattumagala in the Gampaha district.
He had his early education at St. Anthony’s College, Wattala. Later, he joined one of the leading Catholic schools in Sri Lanka, St. Joseph’s College, Maradana, where he blossomed as a fine left arm pacie.
The major teams that he represented were, Sri Lanka, Asia XI, Basnahira North, Colts Cricket Club, Deccan Chargers, in the IPL, Hampshire, Marylebone Cricket Club, Middlesex, Northamptonshire and Worcestershire. Further, he was in the Sri Lanka team led by Marvan Atapattu in the West Indies a few years ago. He was a highly successful bowler who captured the most number of wickets abroad in recent times.
Cricket is one of the greatest team games. Sometimes it is intensely personal. That is one of its beauties. The unassuming Chaminda Vaas is a fine team man. He always puts country before self. A great gentleman, Chaminda Vaas has been an ornament to the game.
Bowling requires concentration, a correct bowling action, ability to bowl a good length and good direction and a certain amount of luck. Chaminda Vaas possesses all these ingredients. Remember, form is temporary, class permanent.
I presume, there is a lesson for all from Vaas’ career; that if one endures the bad times, good times will follow.
Bowling is a very delightful art. Fast bowling combines strength, suppleness rhythm and timing. You have to have a mixture of it. In the case of left arm bowlers that I have seen very closely, like Wasim Akram and Chaminda Vaas, there is a fine drop of venom which transforms a good bowler into a great bowler.
Of all members of the cricketing family, the bowler is the supreme head. He is like the trunk on which even the greatest branches depend.
Chaminda Vaas is humble. He respects elders, his teachers and coaches. He sports that engaging smile, which symbolizes the culture of the paradise isle which is Sri Lanka.
They say, "bowlers win matches." Unfortunately, there is no consistency in our bowling department. This, I feel, is our major problem.
As the legendary Bobby Simpson puts it, the role of a coach is simple. He states that a coach should aim to create improvements so that a batsman scores more runs; a bowler takes more wickets, a fieldsman takes more catches in the field and seizes more opportunities to create run outs. These words clearly express a pragmatic result- oriented approach.
Our present opening bowlers very rarely give a major start to Sri Lanka. The selectors are also trying hard to solve this major problem. Hats off to them. They do a thankless job. It is like betting on horses. When things go right, everyone is happy. When the team fails, the selectors are at the butt end. We must understand that they are human and are bound to make mistakes.
I still remember how Sanath Jayasuriya (340) and Roshan Mahanama (225) created history at R. Premadasa Stadium. In the book written by Roshan Mahanama titled ‘Retired Hurt’, he mentions how he was virtually dropped, but given one more chance to prove his capabilities. A committed, determined Roshan Mahanama took up the challenge and proved that his bat could still talk.
I feel that as a bowler who had done a great service, sweated his heart out, Chaminda Vaas, should also be given a chance or two to prove his class. The irony is that he performs well in the foreign circuit, but he is not given an opportunity to show his talents at present.
My personal view is that at the World Cup 2011, we must have at least three pace bowlers. One must be a left-arm pace bowler. As Muralitharan is probably playing in the World Cup 2011, it’s a huge advantage. His presence alone is a big factor. Cricket is psychological warfare. If an opening side sees experienced players of the calibre of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, T. M. Dilshan, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas (if selected), they will entertain a degree of fear. Psychosis will be in their minds, when they walk into the field. Cricket is a mind game, a thinking game.
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