Vasant Tapu

Vasant Tapu Harji Chavda, commonly known as Vasant Tapu (1936-1988), was a Tanzanian cricketer. A left-handed batsman and left-arm fast-medium/left-arm orthodox spin bowler, he played for the Tanzania national cricket team from 1967 to 1974^[1] and also played first-class cricket for East Africa.^[2]

Born in Tanganyika in 1936,^[2] Vasant Tapu began to play international cricket in August 1967 with two matches against India. The first was for Tanzania in Dar es Salaam^[3] and the second was a first-class match for East Africa in Kampala.^[4] In the first-class match, he scored 55 in the East Africa first innings and took 5/72 in the Indian first innings,^[5] his best batting and bowling performances in first-class cricket.^[1]

He played in the East African Quadrangular tournament in 1969 and 1970, and again in 1971, 1972 and 1974 when it had become a triangular tournament. He also went on a tour of England with East Africa in 1972. His last match for Tanzania was against Zambia in August 1974,^[3] and he had played his second and final first-class match earlier in the year, against the MCC in Nairobi.^[4] He died in 1988.^[1]