Namal disappointed by Vaas’ resignation

Chaminda Vaas (R)  during a pratice session

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Namal Rajapaksa told Parliament yesterday that he was disappointed by the decision taken by Sri Lanka’s consultant fast bowling coach Chaminda Vaas to resign from the post over a monetary issue.   

“Chaminda tendered his resignation at 5 p.m. on Monday whereas the Sri Lanka cricket team was due to leave for West Indies at 11 p.m. The team must have been affected as they had to leave without a bowling coach. We are disappointed by Vaas’s decision to resign suddenly,” Minister Rajapaksa said.  

“A tour fee is being paid to coaches whenever they go on tours. SLC (Sri Lanka Cricket) has agreed to pay a sum of Rs 750,000 to Vaas in addition to the tour fee. However he had refused to accept this additional sum,” he added.  

“There is an accepted norm on making payments to the players and coaches. SLC has followed this norm when dealing with Vaas. What matters is the ability of a coach. The ethnic group he or she belongs to, the religion and the country they come from are not considered when coaches are selected,” he also said.  
The Minister said this in response to Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Thushara Indunil Amarasena’s question as to why a greater salary is to be paid to foreign coaches while local coaches are being paid less.   

Vaas was appointed as a consultant fast bowling coach for the Windies tour after Australia David Saker resigned last week citing personal reasons.   
The former Sri Lanka fast bowler was already contracted with SLC in the High Performance Centre, when he was asked to fill in for Saker.   
SLC, in a media release on Monday, suggested that Vaas had held the administrators and the game at ransom with his resignation.   

“…it is extremely disheartening that a legend such as Chaminda Vaas has resorted to holding the administration, the cricketers, and indeed the game at ransom, by handing in his resignation at the eleventh hour, citing the administration’s refusal to accede to an unjustifiable demand for an increased USD remuneration, in spite of being a contracted employee of Sri Lanka Cricket, already receiving remuneration that is in keeping with his experience, qualifications, and expertise, in addition to which he would have been entitled to the usual USD per diems offered to all members of a travelling squad,” the statement said.  

Vaas hit back shortly afterwards tweeting: “I made a humble request to SLC and they turned it down. That’s all I can say at the moment. Justice will prevail!.”