Chaminda Vaas - Sultan of Swing

by Rohan WIJESINGHE

CRICKET: For Sri Lanka, the lack of sustained., incisive, consistent pace was a throbbing headache, from time immemorial. Certainly we could get the runs. The wickets however, were frustratingly widely spaced and at a huge price.

That’s when someone had the good sense to toss a new ball to Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas. Vaasy openly seeking divine intervention crossed himself and opening the bowling, uncorked his champagne swing. Left-arm swing, sans histrionics, pure stealth. Motivated by the lion on his cap and jersey, moving in on oiled wheels, studs pawing the earth, truly many were circumspect and a tad nervous when he emerged from within four sweaters and thundered in through the misty cold of Auckland in 1995.

And how he proved us wrong Ten Kiwis Devoured, black caps, ferns and all for 71 runs to give us our first Test victory offshore. Thence for a decade and a half he inebriated us with his champagne swing. Our throbbing headache for want of pace was cured. Vaasy devoured the assembly line of megabits that were thrown into the ring, the Laras, Tendulkars, Youhannas and Kallis et al. No light-hearted routine this 355 Test wickets in 111 Tests at 29.58; 400 ODI wickets in 322 matches at 27.53; and 1,173 wickets in First Class, list A and T20 matches combined. Born on the 27th of January in the tiny town of Mattumagala, 14 kms from Colombo, Chaminda is the youngest of Vincent and Rosie Vaas 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls.

Chaminda’s love, concern and benevolance towards us is phenomenal, choked Dad Vincent. When he is not swinging a ball he is happiest singing, added Mum Rose. And he has cut two compact discs, yet to be released added Dad. Cradled at St. Anthony’s Wattala and lured by St. Joseph’s Maradana this clean limbed Roman Catholic, elf like and cathedral quiet, initially picked up the war drums and dabbed on the war paint, metamorphosizing from a spindly colt to become the backbone of the 150 year old Colombo Colts Cricket Club for one and a half decades or more. When the pitch was curvy and the air was dense, encouraging curves as well, Vaas could make stitched cowhide “moo”, or talk rather. Bats were like sticks of cheese to a hungry mouse. He would nibble at the edges with a vengeance. Over 225 Test batsmen caught behind off the edge. And when he had finished with the bats he would nibble at the stumps. over 80 Test batsmen prised out clean bowled. This chap loves timber. Besides he’s obsessed with the straight and narrow.

Firing away wicket to wicket, with persevering accuracy. It is said that Vaasy even drives his “Montero” on the centre of the road, and nobody stops him. Certainly 755 Test and ODI batsmen couldn’t, could they? And he could be at it all day long, if his skipper so desired. Over 100,000 deliveries bowled in Test and first class cricket combined.

With the bat, when the big guns had wilted he could turn it on with one of his heaven sent wallops to lift the gloom and restore our tattered score sheet to respectability, with that free swinging, happy go lucky, somewhat Gawky elegance of his, 3,089 runs at 24.32 in Tests and 2,025 runs in the ODIs at 14.39. Albeit tagged an “occasional bat” as a major ingredient was missing, that of consistency.

He seemed a tad off balance and flat-footed, to lease the crease for longer periods, is the candid opinion of a top class coach.That he was focused on success there is no doubt. With skipper Atapattu indisposed, he once led the side onto the field and grabbing the ball from the umpire was trotting to his bowling mark when the “Two” mid offs and “Three” mid ons gently reminded him that he had not positioned the fielders. With a cheesy grin and frantically hazy waves, the maestro scattered the fielders “all over’ the meadow and proceeded to devour the crack Indian team sheet. That’s single mindedness for you.

With his circuit weary body crying for a pause and his successes more widely spaced. ‘The Sultan’ threw in the towel and stepped into his private purgatory of hellfire that awaits most retiring veterans, still yearning it seems, for the hosannas and backslapping of old. Heard it on the grape wine that he is chopping down the woods and clearing a comeback trail, with a renowned Aussie Guru, egging him on to regain his place in the one-day squad.

Now it’s our turn to cross ourselves and pray that the fresh legs of Nuwan, Thushara, Farveez and Angelo can run half as fast as Vaasy. Chaminda, you truly had the flag billowing way above the mast and the spirit of cricket tatooed on your breast, besides being.

One of the Nicest Men to have Swung An Arm!