After a false start this summer, Stokesley is delighted to announce Suminda Lakshan will now join them for their NYSD campaign in 2021.

Quite the talent…

Lakshan is a promising all-rounder playing for Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club in Tier B of Sri Lanka’s domestic competition.

Lakshan has really hit his straps during over the past two seasons for SL Air Force. In 2018/19, he finished fifth on the Tier B first-class run charts – behind CricX stars Damith Perera (792), Thimira Jayasinghe (633), Sachin Jayawardena (577), and Geeth Kumara (551). His tally of 537 runs at 53.70 included two brilliant centuries – namely 120 v Kurunegala Youth and 153 against KTC.

With the ball, Lakshan took 19 wickets at 34.21 with his leg-spin to finish second on SL Air Force’s wicket charts to fellow CricX pro and UK league legend, Umega Chathuranga.

In white-ball cricket, Lakshan also finished inside the top 10 wicket-takers in the Premier Limited Overs Tournament (13 wickets at 16.07), sitting narrowly behind the likes of international bowlers Wanindu de Silva (18), Sachithra Senanayake (17), Asitha Madusanka Fernando (15), Malinda Pushpakumara (15) and alongside fellow CricX stars Eranga Rathnayake and Dhammika Prasad (13).

Suminda batting for Sri Lanka Air Force during the 2018/19 Premier Tournament.

Consistency

Lakshan then backed-up his barnstorming 2018/19 season with another last summer. In his 8 first-class matches, he scored 546 runs at 42 with two centuries against Sebastianites Cricket and Athletic Club (104), and his brilliant double against Police Sports Club (221).

With the ball, he also took 14 wickets at 42 with best figures of 4-33. In List A cricket, he racked up 188 runs at 94, then took a further 5 wickets at 24.40.

Stokesley sign Suminda

The youngster, who is set to play his fifth season of domestic cricket in 2020/21, was set to play for Stokesley in 2020 before COVID struck. However, the club was swift to defer the agreement to bring over the talented Sri Lankan for their 2021 NYSD campaign.