Chaminda Vaas equalled Dennis Lillee's record of 355 Test wickets

FLASHBACK: Champion Pace Bowler... Chaminda Vaas is Sri Lanka's most successful pace bowler, having taken 355 Test wickets, which equalled the number of Test wickets taken by Dennis Lillee, the legendary Australian fast bowler. Vaas led the Sri Lankan new ball attack for many years. He achieved his 300th wicket on 12 December 2005 against India, becoming only the second Sri Lankan bowler to pass this milestone, after Muttiah Muralitharan. He has also taken 400 One Day International wickets, only the second Sri Lankan to do so, also after Muralitharan.

As of 24 September 2011 only 3 bowlers have taken more ODI wickets. On 27 August 2008, Vaas achieved a landmark in his ODI career, when he had Yuvraj Singh caught off his bowling in his very last ODI match against India at Columbo. Yuvraj Singh became his 400th ODI victim and consequently Vaas joined the illustrious company of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and his team mate Muttiah Muralitharan as only the fourth bowler in international cricket to have taken 400 ODI wickets.

Vaas also holds the record for the best bowling figures in one-day international cricket with his 8 for 19 off eight overs against Zimbabwe at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in 2001. Vaas took the first eight wickets of Zimbabwe's then record-lowest ODI innings of 38, with Muralitharan taking the final two wickets in his first over. It remains the only eight-wicket haul in ODI history.

Vaas has taken two ODI hat-tricks in his career, the third of only four players to have achieved the feat. The first was taken as part of his 8/19 spell.

In Middlesex C.C.C.

He had joined Middlesex County Cricket Club for the 2007 cricket season as an Overseas registration. In 2008, he signed with the Indian Premier League (IPL) side Deccan Chargers on a contract worth $200,000. He played 4 matches for the Deccan Chargers team and picked 4 wickets at an average of 26.61 with an economy rate of 1.4.

In 2009 he played some matches in P.Sen trophy for Mohun Bagan. He also joined Northamptonshire County Cricket Club for the 2010 T20 competition and found himself in the unusual position of opening the batting although he did well recording three half centuries.

He subsequently signed a contract to join Northants for the entire 2011 & 2012 seasons. At the end of 2011 he was named their 'Player of the season' following a great allround performance, having topped the bowling averages by taking 70 first class wickets at an average of 21.44 apiece and also scoring 403 runs at an average of 26.9.

Vaas was released by Northants at the end of the 2012 season due to persistent injury problems throughout the year.

International Coach

In October 2012 he was contracted to coach the New Zealand fast bowlers during their tour of Sri Lanka, which included two Test matches.

In May 2013 he was appointed as bowling coach for the Sri Lankan side participating in the Champions Trophy competition in England.

A.C.de S