Middlesex ne phir se ek naya coach dhoondh liya, aur is baar yeh hai Dane Vilas – wohi South African jo Lancashire ka captain raha. Haan, wahi Vilas jo 2023 mein apni shandaar century ke saath Middlesex ke khilaaf Old Trafford par chhaya tha! Par ab, woh Middlesex ke interim coach ban kar Lord’s ke dugout mein aa rahe hain, aur yeh unka pehla bada coaching assignment hai. Par kya yeh team, jo County Championship Division Two mein teesre number par hai aur Vitality Blast mein bhi sirf do jeet hasil kar payi hai, ko Vilas wapas track par la sakenge?
Vilas, 40 saal ke, apne saath 18 saal ka cricket experience lekar aaye hain, jisme 10,000 se zyada first-class runs aur 25 centuries shamil hain. Lancashire ke saath unhone chaar saal captaincy ki, jisme team ne 2019 mein Division One promotion jeeta aur teen baar T20 Blast Finals Day tak pahunchi. Unki yeh leadership qualities hi thi jinhone Middlesex ke Director of Cricket, Alan Coleman, ko attract kiya. Coleman ka kehna hai, “Vilas ka never-say-die attitude hamare players aur fans ke saath jamega.” Yeh attitude yaad dilata hai 2005 ke Ashes ka, jab England ke underdog spirit ne Australia ko hara diya tha. Vilas ke saath Rory Coutts, Tim Murtagh, aur Ian Salisbury bhi coaching team mein hain, jo ek mazboot support system banata hai.
Middlesex ka season ab tak kaafi nirashajanak raha hai. Division Two mein saat matches mein sirf do jeet, aur Blast mein bhi bas do wins – yeh koi championship form nahi hai. Par Vilas ke aane ke din hi Middlesex ne Lord’s par teen saal baad T20 Blast mein Essex ke khilaaf ek run se jeet haasil ki. Yeh jeet shayad ek nayi shuruaat ka ishara hai. Vilas ka kehna hai, “Lord’s ek khaas jagah hai, aur is team mein dher saari sambhavnayein hain.” Unka yeh optimism dekh kar lagta hai jaise woh Middlesex ke players mein wahi josh bharna chahte hain jo kabhi Lancashire mein dikha tha.
Player Stats (Dane Vilas’ Career Highlights)
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Best Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Class | 199 | 10,000+ | – | 25 | 266 |
| County Championship (Lancashire) | 30 | 1,641 | 38.16 | 10 | 124 |
| T20 Blast | – | – | – | – | – |
Par yeh sab itna asaan nahi hoga. Vilas ke liye pehla challenge hai Sunday ka County Championship match Northamptonshire ke khilaaf. Unka coaching career abhi shuru hi hua hai, aur Middlesex jaisi team, jo hamesha bade sapne dekhti hai par aksar chhoti galtiyon se haar jati hai, unke liye ek badi pariksha hai. Kya Vilas apni purani team Lancashire ke uss magic ko yahan la payenge? Ya phir Middlesex ka yeh season bhi ek aur bhoolne wala chapter ban jayega? Abhi ke liye, Lord’s ka maahol thoda ummeed bhara hai, par cricket mein ummeed kabhi kaafi nahi hoti.
References:
- BBC Sport
- ESPNcricinfo
- The Cricketer
