Michael Vandort's 'unfair' go
By David Colin-Thomé
Michael Graydon Vandort, who was all of a year old when Sri Lanka was granted Test status in 1981, is the second Burgher cricketer to play Test cricket for Sri Lanka, behind Graeme LaBrooy. The first Burgher, or indeed Sri Lankan to play at this level nonetheless is credited to Sri Lanka’s former World Cup winning coach, Dav Whatmore who played Test cricket in the late 70s and 80s, albeit for his adopted country, Australia.
Michael, who represents the Colombo Cricket Club, made his Test debut against Bangladesh in Colombo in September 2001. Batting at no. 5, he made 36 in the one innings he batted in. In July the following year, Michael played his second Test, also against Bangladesh and opening the batting he scored 61 and 140. Nevertheless, if this was seen by the media at the time as an emphatic announcement of his arrival, it certainly went unnoticed by the selectors as it wasn’t until almost four years later that Michael was selected for another Test match. Once again it was against Bangladesh and despite picking up two ducks in the first innings of both Tests, Michael somewhat managed to salvage his fragile international cricketing career with an unbeaten 64 and 40 in the respective second innings of the two matches.
Arguably no cricketer has ever faced such a tough selection criteria, and while the media has largely turned a blind eye to the repeated injustices dealt out to Michael, one only needs to visit any Sri Lanka cricket forum or Blogspot to understand the degree of anger and disgust among the regular cricket followers at the inequitable treatment meted out to Michael. Despite also picking up centuries against touring national sides India and South Africa in their warm up games, Michael has also faced the ignominy of frequently being left out of the ‘A’ team while others with disgraceful records at even club level are repeatedly selected in apparent birthright fashion.
In 2006, Michael was given an opportunity when he was chosen as one of two specialist openers for the tour of England, and all appearances (and utterances) were that he would finally receive an extended run in Test cricket. Not surprisingly though, one failure in the warm-up match against England A (despite scoring 90 not out in the previous match), and Michael was left out of the side for the first Test. No consideration given to the fact that in this match, no Sri Lankan batsmen scored even a 50 batting twice, having been skittled out in both innings of the match on a damp pitch! Not surprisingly either was the fact that his replacement was selected on the grounds of anything but merit, and he went on to record comprehensive failures in both innings of the match.
This forced the hand of the tour selectors who had no choice but to give Michael a run in the second Test at Edgbaston and when he was dismissed cheaply in the first innings, some of the media even went on to suggest that Michael was out of his depth. In the second innings, however, the true character of the man made even his harshest of doubters and critics applaud with admiration as Michael stood firm and tall while all else around him fell like nine pins. Michael made a century and was the last man out while farming the strike to protect the last man in, Muttiah Muralitharan.
No, Michael’s innings was certainly not all David Gower-like grace, nor even a bad reproduction of a Brian Lara classic. In fact, he looked awkward at times. But so too was Steve Waugh on occasions and we all know where his forte lay. Michael gave us a glimpse that this is perhaps where his forte is closest to as well, in a knock that exuded courage and character. If indeed Michael emulated Waugh in terms of courageous knocks, there was an added element to it that makes it all the more full of character. Like Waugh many times before, Michael was fighting to keep his team alive, but unlike Waugh had to, Michael was also battling for his personal survival as a professional cricketer.
As it turned out, this fighting century, one of just two scored by the Sri Lankans in the three Test matches, amounted to little appreciation value as six weeks later Michael was unceremoniously dumped from the Test team against the South African’s at home. It was not just an appalling decision that defied logic; it was also a decision that defiled fairplay.
Many observers felt that this was the final nail in Michael’s career with the weight of disillusionment finally taking its toll. And when he went through one of his worst domestic seasons on record shortly thereafter, that belief appeared to ring true. Fortuitously, however, Michael scored a timely century against the Sinhalese Sports Club in the penultimate match of the season, which more or less booked his passage on the A team tour of England in May 2007.
Then, just prior to embarking on the tour of England, an injury to one of the Test openers for the home series against Bangladesh saw him drafted into the Test team to play Bangladesh at home. As some have now come to expect from Michael, he yet again made full use of another begrudging opportunity coming his way and pulled a century out of the bag in the first Test match.
Following this series, Michael flew over to join the A Team in England and in a match against the touring Indian national side, which went on to record a historic series win over England, Michael scored a half century in the first innings followed by a century in the second. This however, is the last cricket Michael would have played before Sri Lanka plays its next Test series, which is against Australia in November 2007. Yes, at the time of writing, Michael has made the team for this tour but whether he features in any of the Tests is left to be seen.
The two warm-up matches will be a key and the pressure on Michael to perform from the word go appears critical if history is anything to go by. Certainly, this appears to be yet another make or break scenario for Michael and it just so happens to be in the toughest stage against the toughest opponents. No easy task for the experienced let alone someone whose every limited stride to the wicket thus far has been with a bat in his hand and a gun to his head. A degree of success here will almost certainly ensure Michael an extended run in the Test team given that both openers’ spots are now more or less up for grabs.
The bar for Michael Graydon Vandort has been perennially set at a higher level than for the rest of the competition. This might well have worked in his favour. Good luck indeed Michael!
