Vaas-phobia grips Sri Lanka
Today New Zealand will take the field at P. Sara Oval requiring six wickets to complete a rare Test win against Sri Lanka and if they get there, one of the first names mentioned for the victory will be that of Vaas’.
A prophet, the Bible says, is not welcome in his own country. No Sri Lankan cricketer has gone through the humiliations Chaminda Vaas has been forced to in recent times. In 2005, when he was appointed vice-captain of the national side, deservedly so after 11 years of toil for the national team, powerful player agent Charlie Austin accused Vaas of seeking political patronage for the vice-captain’s role. Three years ago, the selection panel headed by Ashantha de Mel hastened his retirement from Test cricket while last year he was humiliated yet again when he was left out of the playing eleven after being flown in to Mumbai as a last minute replacement due to injuries ahead of the World Cup final against India.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) didn’t even bother to find out whether country’s second highest wicket taker is available to guide the nation’s struggling fast bowlers, but the smart man he is, John Buchanan, the Director Coaching of New Zealand felt that Vaas could contribute to New Zealand’s success during their tour of Sri Lanka and appointed him as the Bowling Coach of the touring team.
Today New Zealand will take the field at P. Sara Oval requiring six wickets to complete a rare Test win against Sri Lanka and if they get there, one of the first names mentioned for the victory will be that of Vaas’.
Well-armed with information about the weak links of Sri Lankan batsmen, New Zealand’s seam bowlers created enough opportunities yesterday to make early inroads to what would be their first Test win after nine games. New Zealand have in fact lost five games in a row before this Test.
No team has chased more than 352 in Sri Lanka to win a Test Match and after setting a target of 363, the New Zealanders made early inroads by reducing Sri Lanka to 47 for four.
Tharanga Paranavithana was so late to come to bat yesterday evening in Sri Lanka’s second innings that the umpires had to call him up from the dressing room and just before entering the field he was seen searching for his armguard. The focus and preparation was not there in Paranavithana and it was clearly seen as he fell for a first ball duck to Tim Southee, who also dismissed Tillekeratne Dilshan.
But the biggest blow came when Doug Bracewell dismissed Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in quick succession to effectively seal the game for the tourists. Bracewell had not taken a wicket throughout the Test series, but when it mattered most, he claimed the two big wickets in the Sri Lankan line-up.
If Sri Lanka were to draw this Test, it will require a massive effort from the in-form Thilan Samaraweera and captain in waiting Angelo Mathews.
The New Zealanders have asked plenty of questions from the hosts with the new ball throughout the series and they did it yesterday once again. So if the conditions are good enough to seam bowling, the question has to be asked why the Sri Lankans aren’t able to do the same with the new ball and perhaps Vaas is the answer.
SLC top brass will tell us today that Vaas was playing first class cricket even early this year and hence wasn’t in their minds for a coaching role. But here’s where they can take a clue from ECB (English and Wales Cricket Board). Ottis Gibson was still playing first class cricket for Durham a couple of years ago when ECB offered him a job as the England cricket team’s Bowling Coach. He quit playing and took up coaching and today is the Head Coach of West Indies.
Perhaps the SLC bigwigs are warming their chairs at Maitland Place concentrating on their business ventures, some of which are in direct conflict with the interests of the board.
