VTCA 2020-21: Sunshine United signs Kaushal Lokuarachchi
An ex-Sri Lanka all-rounder and champion of the Victorian Turf Cricket Association will be at a new club this season in a major move.
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One of the premier players in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association has switched clubs.
Star all-rounder Kaushal Lokuarachchi has crossed from Keilor to Sunshine United following mediation between the Senior Division rivals.
Lokuarachchi represented Sri Lanka 27 times at the elite level across Test matches, one-dayers and T20 internationals and was captain-coach at the Blues last season.
The 38-year-old has spent the past six summers at Keilor and has won two VTCA competition medals – one in the top-flight Senior Division and the other in the second tier.
“It’s a bit of a coup for us because we’re not one of the bigger clubs in the VTCA, especially in Senior Division,” Sunshine United president Mark Dalrymple said.
“For us to pick up someone of his calibre is a real achievement, and something we always thought might have been out of our reach.
“You see all the big money going around … we pay unders pretty much anyway.
“We were made aware that he was possibly available and we made a call to him.
“We’re all pinching ourselves a little bit that we’ve got someone like this.”
Lokuarachchi is coming off another outstanding season for Keilor, hammering 536 runs at 44.67 while his spin bowling returned 21 wickets at 23.4.
He feasted on Strathmore, blasting 171 in a one-day fixture and 112 in a two-day game.
In 113 matches for the Blues across all formats, Lokuarachchi logged 3315 runs at 30.69 and 173 wickets at 18.28 apiece.
Dalrymple said Lokuarachchi was “ready to move on” after a lengthy stint at Keilor.
He will take up an assistant role under Tigers mentor David Dodemaide to prepare for a coaching career after his playing days.
“He wants to develop himself as a coach for after playing,” Dalrymple said.
“He’s got a couple of (qualifications) in that area, so with Dodemaide, who’s obviously got an elite pathways background, he can learn from him as well as play.
“That was one of the things that got him over the line.
“One day, he might even coach us, who knows?”
Former captain-coach Neetan Chouhan has returned to the club and will take over as skipper, while paceman Michael Glowacki has re-committed after he was limited to six games in 2019-20.
Sunshine United is set to be a big improver after finishing seventh last season.
Aberfeldie and Westmeadows have earned promotion to the top grade, creating a 10-team competition.
“I think he (Lokuarachchi) likes the fact we’ve got a young, emerging group, that we’re genuine,” Dalrymple said.
“Given the year we had last year … even though we were one game out of the top four, I think he’s seen it as an opportunity to put his presence into a club he can see going forward.”
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