Prasanna Jayawardene

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Prasanna Jayawardene
Sri Lanka
Personal information
Full name	Hewasandatchige Asiri Prasanna Wishvanath Jayawardene
Born	9 October 1979 (1979-10-09) (age 28)
	Colombo, Sri Lanka
Role	Wicket-keeper
Batting style	Right-handed
International information
Test debut (cap 83)	28 June 2000: v Pakistan
Last Test	18 December 2007: v England
ODI debut (cap 114)	4 April 2003: v Pakistan
Last ODI	22 May 2007: v Pakistan
ODI shirt no.	3
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1999 – present	Sebastianites C&AC
1998 – 2005	Nondescripts
2001 – 2003	Colombo
2000 – 2001	Sinhalese
Career statistics
	Tests	ODI	FC	LA
Matches	17	6	140	99
Runs scored	483	27	4814	1589
Batting average	26.83	5.40	25.47	21.76
100s/50s	1/2	0/0	5/20	0/7
Top score	120*	20	166*	62
Balls bowled	0	0	0	0
Wickets	–	–	–	–
Bowling average	–	–	–	–
5 wickets in innings	–	–	–	–
10 wickets in match	–	n/a	–	n/a
Best bowling	–	–	–	–
Catches/stumpings	34/10	4/1	335/63	104/42
As of 9 January 2008 Source: Cricinfo

Hewasandatchige Asiri Prasanna Wishvanath Jayawardene (born 9 October 1979 in Colombo, commonly known as Prasanna Jayawardene) is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a wicketkeeper.

Having toured England in 1998 as a 19-year-old, Jayawardene was touted for a long career as a Sri Lankan cricketer, but soon found himself out of play thanks to the emerging talent of Kumar Sangakkara in 2000. His career was again thwarted by the good form of Romesh Kaluwitharana, but since this he has actually managed to make a few appearances since for the Sri Lankan team. With the Sri Lankan selectors having concerns about Sangakkara's playing ability, Jayawardene was once again called into action against Zimbabwe in April 2004. Since 2004 Jayawardene has played Twenty20 cricket.

[edit] Revived Test Career

Due to Kumar Sangakkara's status as a true wicketkeeper-batsman all-rounder, the Sri Lankan selectors felt that they could afford to play a specialist keeper in Test matches. As a result of this, both Sangakkara and Jayawardene have played Test cricket in the same team of late, Sangakkara as a specialist batsman and Jayawardene as the specialist keeper down the order.

Jayawardene donned the gloves for Sri Lanka thanks to an injury to Sangakkara in Sri Lanka's 1st Test against Australia on 8th November 2007. In the test series against England in December, Jayawardene flourished with two vital fifties and 9 catches.