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And so they left out Chaminda Vaas...
By Marlon Fernandopulle
ICC World Elevens chairman of selectors Sunil Gavaskar and his Co-selectors should be blamed flatly and squarely for the dismal performance put up by their team against the world champions Australia in the first two one-day games.

The ICC World Eleven comprising the cream of the world cricketers were beaten by 93 runs and 55 runs respectively by Ricky Ponting’s Australians who were still smarting after their Ashes defeat in England a few weeks ago.

One, among a few of the glaring omissions in the ICC World Eleven is Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas.The left arm medium pacer who has been the island’s main strike bowler was only last year selected in the ICC world test and world one day teams at ICC’s inaugural award ceremony.

However by some twist of fate Vaas has been overlooked for the world test and one day teams this year. And what is even more surprising and mind boggling is the players that have been selected instead of the Lankan are Shoaib Akhtar and Makhaya Ntini.At no stage of their careers have Ntini and Akhtar been ahead of Vaas.

In terms of statistics or the numerous world rankings, Vaas has always stood tall and is a cut above all medium pacers playing today, barring Australian Glen McGrath. A fact that any average cricket follower will testify. Thus, it was not surprising that Australia’s new one day opening pair Adam Gilchrist (who struggled in England) and Simon Katich put on 89 runs and 110 runs in the first two one dayers without being parted and laid the foundation for the hosts match winning totals. And in Gavaskar’s choice to open the bowling Shoaib Akhtar had figures of 9-1-49-0 in the first game and 8-1-61-0 in the second game which also included three wides and a no ball.

Cricket fans in Sri Lanka and around the world are aware that Chaminda Vaas who has taken 326 wickets in 253 games at an average of 26.19 and an economy rate of around four runs per over has the ability not only to curtail the initial run flow, but also to pick up wickets and peg back the opposition in the initial overs. Unfortunately Gavaskar and company were not aware of this fact or maybe aware of it, but preferred to ignore it for reasons best known only to the selectors. As a result the ICC world eleven paid a heavy price and were humiliated by a team that was only a few weeks ago struggling to find its feet against England.

Chaminda Vaas who has also to his credit 294 wickets in his 88 tests at an average of 28.94 has also been overlooked for the ICC world test team which includes Shoaib Akhtar again.What more does Vaas need to do to gain recognition at this level?

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