Cricket: Vaas back in record books as Lankans win

MARITZBURG - Chaminda Vaas claimed an extraordinary slice of history by taking a hat-trick with the first three balls of the match as Sri Lanka crushed Bangladesh by 10 wickets in the World Cup on Friday (Saturday NZT).

Vaas, despite suffering from a sore back, then added a fourth victim in his opening over before finishing the Group B match with figures of six for 25 from 9.1 overs.

Bangladesh, who had lost the toss and ended the first over on five for four, were demolished for 124 in the 32nd over.

Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu then scored run-a-ball half-centuries to cruise to their target in the 22nd over.

No man had ever previously taken a hat-trick with the first three balls of a match in a one-dayer or in top-class cricket.

Vaas celebrated his feat with delight, running down the wicket with his arms outstretched, but otherwise remained poker-faced throughout, perhaps moved to pity by his opponents' ineptitude.

"I had a sore back this morning... I'm not really interested in records, I just want to stay fit," Vaas said."

The match began with Bangladesh opener Hannan Sarkar attempting an expansive drive at Vaas's first inswinger, only to be bowled through a massive gate.

Mohammad Ashraful walked in, then straight back out again after chipping back a simple return catch, and Ehsanul Haque snicked the third ball to Mahela Jayawardene at second slip to spark Sri Lankan jubilation.

Left-arm swing bowler Vaas, who already has the best one-day international figures in history, saw his next ball chopped through the covers for four by Sanwar Hossain.

A wide, swinging away outside off stump, followed before Hossain shuffled forward on his leg stump and was trapped lbw.

The ball rolled back down the pitch to the 29-year-old Vaas, who flung the ball dismissively away with barely a smile.

Test nation Bangladesh lost their opening World Cup match in humiliating fashion to minnows Canada. They have now suffered 27 defeats in their last 28 one-dayers, with the other game rained off.

Vaas claimed his next victim when opener Al-Sahariar's mis-timed drive looped high to Aravinda de Silva at mid-off.

Fellow pace bowler Dilhara Fernando suffered by comparison as Bangladesh all rounder Alok Kapali, the one batsman to impress, hooked him for six.

But Kapali gifted Fernando his one wicket with a loose drive to cover, having made a competent 32 off 37 deliveries.

Muttiah Muralitharan, so often Sri Lanka's match-winner and rarely overshadowed by his team mates, took the next three wickets for 25 in his 10 overs before Vaas wrapped up the innings.

In reply, Atapattu finished on 69 not out off 71 balls, hitting 44 in fours, while Jayasuriya made a 57-ball 55, with seven fours and a six.

Vaas completed record figures of 8-3-19-8 against Zimbabwe in December, 2001 in Colombo. No other bowler has ever taken eight wickets in a one-day international.

That day he removed the top eight batsmen, including a hat-trick, as the Zimbabweans were dismissed for 38, the lowest ever one-day score.

The only feat to come close to Vaas's in top-class cricket was recorded by Nuwan Zoysa, another Sri Lankan left-arm pace bowler.

After Vaas had begun the second test against Zimbabwe in Harare in 1999 with a maiden, Zoysa took a hat-trick with his first three balls of the match at the other end.

The only other World Cup hat-tricks came from Chetan Sharma of India against New Zealand in 1987 and Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq against Zimbabwe in England in 1999.

Vaas - also now one of only three men to take two one-day hat-tricks along with Saqlain and Pakistan's Wasim Akram - clearly has a taste for records.

He played a prominent role in the biggest ever one-day international victory when taking five for 14 in October, 2000 as Sri Lanka beat India by 245 runs in a triangular tournament final.

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