Jeffrey up close

Sunday Observer met up with Jeffrey Dexter Francis Vandersay recently for some up close of personal questions.

Q: What was it like to debut against Pakistan and how did you feel when you bowled the first over?

A: Being named for the playing 11 was an amazing feeling. It's hard to put it into words or describe how you feel and how grateful and happy that the hard work has paid off and you're playing against Pakistan.

I knew I was up for the challenge and I always wanted a challenge. It boosted my morale to do well for my country. Taking that ball in my hand to bowl the first over, with the crowd cheering.... It was all happening around, but I kept cool and bowled quiet reasonably.

I believe, knowing that you are in the playing XI, your nerves are all pumped up. You have achieved your goal and now it's time to show what you can do well. Playing my debut match against Pakistan was an amazing moment in my life.

Getting the T20 cap....There were so many firsts ...like taking the first catch, which are very unforgettable. Those moments always come to my mind. It's quite nice to know you have done something to the nation.

Q: Being one of the youngest in the National team, how helpful are the seniors to you?

A: They are helpful and you can ask them anything you don't know. Of course at this level you have so much to learn... With the seniors around, you can always learn something new.

Q: What was your best experience at the first match?

A: The best feeling was receiving my cap from the current Test and ODI Captain, Angelo Mathews and that was a very special moment.

Q: Who is your favourite Cricketer, and what inspires you?

A: My favourite is Shane Warne because he is a leg spinner and he is the one who influenced me to become a leg spinner.

Q: What kind of an impact has Cricket made on your life?

A: Cricket is my passion and that's what I love to do. I love the game of cricket. It's a challenging game and it helps you adapt to challenging situations.

Q: How did you balance your family life with cricket?

A: My family has been very supportive, they have always supported than 100% and backed me up, so balancing family life with cricket was actually easy with my family. And they have been patient with me. I thank my family for that, especially my brother.

Q: What are your future plans?

A: For the moment my future plan is to join the Test Team. That is my biggest goal because I love the game of Test. For the moment I'm working on that. Then I'm planning to do a bit more studying when I have some spare time from cricket.

Q: What is your diet like? How do you manage to keep your fitness level?

A: Maintaining the diet is very hard. As a sportsman you have to sacrifice eating fast food and all those things. It is costly to have a diet plan but even the professional sportsmen have to maintain their diet to keep the fitness level high. And yes, I'm currently having a diet plan.

Q: What was the most difficult moment in your cricket life?

A: Finding a proper club to play cricket before I joined SSC. But I'm thankful to god I found a great club now.

Q: What would be your ultimate achievement?

A: The ultimate achievement would be of course to take 300 Test wickets and that's my current target and goal.

Q: What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?

A: Maintaining the fitness level and keeping the standards up is the challenge, and without fitness you can't play any sport.

I always try to go the gym and do physical fitness and I keep a proper diet plan.

Q: Can you talk about that one defining moment when you knew you wanted to play for the national team?

A: Playing softball in the backyard one day with my brother, not knowing what was leg spin or a googly, which no one ever taught me, I wanted to get him out and I bowled him out by bowling the googly.

It hit the wicket perfectly. At that time I wondered how nice it would be to do it with the hard bowl and represent my country one day. So that day I set myself a goal - play for Sri Lanka one day.

Q: How do you set your goals?

A: Ball by ball, match by match I set my goals and I do what I have trained to do.

Q: What should be the priorities of a leg spinner?

A: That would be keeping your head, shoulders and wrist strong and bowling the stock ball accurately.

Q: If you look up to a certain cricketer, who do you want to become in like 5 years down the line?

A: I want to be the best cricketer that I can be and I don't want to be someone else. Of course I do love Shane Warne and do respect him.

He is one of my heroes but I would like to be who I could be and that is Jeffrey Vandersay.