Vaas completes a milestone

CRICKET: Sri Lanka's veteran fast bowler Chaminda Vaas completed a unique milestone when he represented the country in his 100th Test match during the opening day of the first Test match against the touring England team at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy yesterday.

The left arm paceman became only the third Sri Lankan player to perform this feat after teammates Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya.

Incidentally off spinner Muralitharan heads the list with a total of 115 Test matches followed by dashing opener Sanath Jayasuriya who has represented the country in 110 Test matches.

Vaas who made his Test debut at this same venue against Pakistan in August 1994 has so far captured a total of 320 wickets at an average of 29.44.

He has picked up five wickets or more in an innings on 11 occasions and has a best effort of seven wickets for 71 runs. As a middle order batsmen he has accumulated a total of 2703 runs at an average of 23.50 and has a top score of 100 not out.

Vaas of course had the chance of completing this milestone during the recent tour of Australia but he as overlooked for the second Test played in Hobart.

Vaas's best period was probably the home series against the West Indies in 2001/02 season where he captured a total 26 wickets in three Test matches and was also named joint man of the series.

In fact this was the first time that Vaas took more wickets than Muttiah Muralitharan in a thee Test series and he also returned his best Test match figures of 14 wickets during the third and final Test match played at the SSC ground, Maitland Place.

Vaas is also the second highest wicket taker for Sri Lanka against England with 38 scalps from 12 Test matches.

Vaas said that he is proud and honoured to serve his country for so long and wanted to make it a special one by bowling his country to victory. He scored 12 runs in the Sri Lankan first innings and picked up the wicket of Alastiar Cook to finish with the figures of one wicket for 18 runs from seven overs.

CD