Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas

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Chaminda Vaas, an enthusiastic amateur vocalist, once disclosed a desire to become a catholic priest, but the ambition was sidelined as he became Sri Lanka's most successful fast bowler ever. At 20 years of age he made his debut against Pakistan at Kandy in 1994/5 before becoming the first ever Sri Lankan bowler to take ten wickets in a Test match when he toured New Zealand in 1995. A left arm bowler, who bowls with a rhythmical run up and a smooth sideways on action, he swings the ball both ways and has recently developed the ability to reverse swing the old ball, a skill used to devastating effect last year when he claimed 14 wickets for 191 against the West Indies. Holds the record for the best ever figures in an ODI (8 for 19 against Zimbabwe, 2002). During the recent Sri Lanka tour to England he passed 200 Test wickets. Has also developed into a useful lower order batsman.