Sri-Lankan newcomer backed to shine after debut heroics

Jun 21 2012

LEY Hill vice-chairman Robin Carr hailed the club’s newest recruit after his heroics with bat and ball demolished Knotty Green on Saturday.

Suranga Daluwatte thrashed a lightning quick century before bagging six wickets as Hill routed last season’s Kookaburra Mid Bucks Premier Division runners-up to notch a fourth league win on the trot.

The Sri Lankan all-rounder has come a long way since making nought on his debut just a few weeks ago, having joined Hill when previous club Hawridge and Cholesbury left the league at the start of the year.

According to Carr the new man literally had their visitors in knots and they were not the only ones bamboozled by his unique bowling style.

He said: “He bowls off two paces deceptively quickly and spins the ball in either direction – he often fooled our own wicketkeeper.

“Rain was threatening, so having him bowl off two paces helped us run through the last 20 overs quickly and fortunately he ran through the opposition too.”

Daluwatte stole the show as the hosts batted first, hammering 106 in just 62 balls, putting the efforts of the club’s leading run scorer ever, Jon Lown (83) into the shade.

Their combined efforts ensured Hill posted the highest total by any side in the Kookaburra Premier League so far this season as they reached 262-3.

Green’s players were already in a spin by the time they came to bat and Daluwatte ensured they stayed that way as his 6-16 saw them ousted in just 22 overs for a paltry 70, giving Ley Hill victory by 192 runs.

In a strange quirk of fate the seconds piled up an identical 262, this time for the loss of seven wickets away at Great Hamden en route to an emphatic win.

They too boasted a centurion with Lewis Thompson scoring exactly 100 and he too would go on to be star man with the ball, taking 3-8 in six overs as their hosts made just 60 in reply.