VAAS AND ATAPATTU BECOME MCC MEMBERS

From Lords.org
Chaminda Vaas and Marvan Atapattu have been awarded Honorary Life Membership of MCC.

The Sri Lankan pair have received the honour in recognition of their achievements during playing careers that spanned nearly 800 international matches.

Opening bowler Vaas took 355 wickets from 111 Tests at an average of 29.58. He has an unbeaten Test century to his name and averaged 24.32 with the bat in the five-day game.

Vaas was a One Day International stalwart, taking 400 wickets from 322 matches at an average of 27.53. He also played in Sri Lanka’s famous World Cup Final victory over Australia in 1996.

During a 17-year international career, opening batsman Atapattu played 90 Test matches and 268 One Day Internationals, scoring over 14,000 runs and averaging nearly 40 in both formats.

Atapattu appears on the famous Lord’s Honours Boards after scoring 185 in the first innings of a drawn Test against England in 2002.

He also has a Lord’s One Day International century to his name after leading Sri Lanka to victory in the final of the 1998 Emirates Triangular Tournament with 132 not out against England.

Atapattu and Vaas, now Sri Lanka Head Coach and Bowling Coach respectively, become the 12th and 13th Sri Lankan Honorary Life Members of MCC, joining Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda De Silva and Kumar Sangakkara on the list.

Marvan Atapattu said: "There are some grounds and pitches that you want to take with you everywhere you go, and Lord’s is one of those for me. I loved it.

"The whole place brings out the best in a cricketer and I had a good record here. I am very happy that MCC have given me Honorary Life Membership and I look forward to returning to Lord’s."

Lord’s is among the best places to play cricket in the world and brings out the best in a cricketer. It’s a great honour to have been made part of such an historic institution as Marylebone Cricket Club. It’s a pleasure to be added to this list alongside some of the most influential people in Sri Lankan cricket.”

John Stephenson, MCC Head of Cricket, said: "Marvan and Chaminda are two legends of Sri Lankan cricket and are worthy of their place in the list of MCC Honorary Life Members.

"It was a pleasure to have them back at Lord’s as part of the Sri Lanka coaching set up last year, and I look forward to seeing them back at the Home of Cricket again as part of MCC."

Honorary Life Membership is awarded by the MCC Committee to individuals in recognition of the service they have given to the cricket and projects surrounding the game, often over a very long period.

There are now more than 300 Honorary Life Members of MCC out of a total Full Membership of 18,000.