Chaminda Vaas

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Chaminda Vaas Sri Lanka (SL)

Batting style	Left-handed batsman (LHB)
Bowling type	Left-arm Fast Medium (LFM)
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	94	285
Runs scored	2503	1833
Batting average	22.75	13.67
100s/50s	-/11	0/1
Top score	74*	50*
Balls bowled	20374	14007
Wickets	307	361
Bowling average	29.51	27.29
5 wickets in innings	11	4
10 wickets in match	2	N/A
Best bowling	7/71	8/19
Catches/stumpings	28/-	56/-
As of 22 Oct., 2006 Source: Cricinfo.com

Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas, (born January 27, 1974 in Mattumagala), usually known as Chaminda Vaas, is a Sri Lankan cricketer (fast bowler). According to Bill Frindall, scorer and statistician for BBC Radio's Test Match Special, Chaminda is actually his penultimate given name, therefore his initials should read WPUCJ.

A past student of the prestigious St. Joseph's College in Colombo, he made his debut for the Sri Lankan cricket team in 1994 and is their most successful fast bowler ever, having taken 300 Test wickets (he achieved the feat on December 12, 2005), one of only a handful of players to do so. His wickets led Sri Lanka to their first away Test win against New Zealand in 1994 at Napier, taking 5-47 in the first innings and 5-43 in the second.

Vaas has also taken over three hundred one-day international wickets, including two hat tricks, against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, the first of which was in the middle of a devastating spell of eight for 19, the best bowling figures in one-day internationals, and the latter being the infamous hat-trick of wickets in the first three balls of the game.

Vaas is also a useful batsman down the order, and has reached 2000 Test runs, including 10 Test half-centuries. As a fieldsman, he is noted for his strong arm.

In 2004 he gained recognition for his talent when he was selected for the World Test and one-day XI at the inaugural ICC Awards. He was once again selected for the World Test XI at the 2005 awards.

He has joined Middlesex County Cricket Club for the 2007 cricket season as an Overseas registration.

[edit] References

Player Profile: Chaminda Vaas from Cricinfo

Cricketers who have achieved the 'All-rounder's Double' (2000 runs/200 wickets) in Test matches

Bowlers who have taken 300 ODI wickets
Wasim Akram (PAK) \| Anil Kumble (IND) \| Glenn McGrath (AUS) \| Shaun Pollock (SA) \| Javagal Srinath (IND) \| Chaminda Vaas (SL)

	Sri Lanka squad - 2003 Cricket World Cup
1 Jayasuriya \| 2 Atapattu \| 3 Jayawardene \| 4 Sangakkara \| 5 De Silva \| 6 Arnold \| 7 Mubarak \| 8 Tillakaratne \| 9 Muralitharan \| 10 Vaas \| 11 Fernando \| 12 Gunaratne \| 13 Gunawardene \| 14 Nissanka \| 15 Buddhika \| Coach: Whatmore