Cookham Dean is delighted to announce the signing of Sri Lankan spinner Dileepa Jayalath for their 2023 Thames Valley Cricket League campaign.
Jayalath is a talented left-arm spinner playing for Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club in Sri Lankan domestic cricket.
During Sri Lanka’s Major Club Emerging 3-Day tournament (Feb-March 2022), he bagged career-best figures against Negombo, taking 5-wickets in each innings (5/62 and 5/79). Jayalath would go on to finish as one of the tournament’s highest wicket-takers with 23 wickets at 22.04.
Jayalath, who comes highly recommended by several Bloomfield players, including fellow CricX star Sachin Jayawardena, headed into the Emerging Tournament (Feb 2022) in great form having topped Bloomfield’s wicket-charts in the SLC Limited Overs Tournament a few months prior (9 wickets at 14 in Nov 2021).
His recent success has, though, come as no surprise. The former Ananda College star was a stand-out, helping his side to the Under-19 school championship title (topping his school’s wicket charts in 2016/17). He was a key member of provincial under-19 and 23 sides and helped his side to the Mercantile C division champions award in 2019.
He broke into domestic cricket in the same year, then became the highest wicket-taker for Bloomfield in the Under-23 tournament in 2020. Unfortunately, COVID struck halting his progress, but clearly, he has returned to impress on the domestic circuit.
The talented tweaker is clearly a star in the making, he is also known to hit the ball hard in the lower order. He is also an intelligent cricketer, who has captain of Bloomfield’s Under-23 side in 2020.
The left-armer evidenced his undoubted talent abroad last summer, playing his maiden UK stint for Orrell Red Triangle in the strong Liverpool and District Competition. He was a resounding success bagging 83 wickets at 17.93 in all forms of cricket alongside 358 runs at 18.84.
Given his success, both home and abroad, Cookham Dean has swooped for the Sri Lankan star and he’ll feature for them throughout their 2023 Thames Valley Cricket League campaign.
