Cricket Southern Bayside: Bentleigh signs 10-Test paceman for 2019-20 Championship season

Former international Thilan Thushara joins Victorian Premier Ryder Medal star Brendan Drew at the bayside Demons.

Bentleigh has locked in a former Test fast bowler four weeks out from the 2019-20 Cricket Southern Bayside season.

Thilan Thushara, who played 10 Test matches for Sri Lanka between 2003 and 2010, has joined the Demons, whose off-season also brought them ex-first class paceman and Victorian Premier Cricket Ryder Medal champion Brendan Drew.

Thushara, 38, also played 38 ODIs and six T20s for Sri Lanka, as well as 134 first-class matches.

He counted Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Chaminda Vass and Muttiah Muralitharan as teammates when he made his Test debut against the West Indies.

Bentleigh president David McNamara said the club clinched Thushara through a recruitment agency and was chuffed to gain a player of his standing.

Thilan Thushara played 134 first-class matches.

He said the left-arm paceman’s experience would benefit the Demons’ young players.

“We’ve got some really good juniors, and two or three are left-arm bowlers,’’ McNamara said.

“He’ll be able to give them a lot of help with their cricket and show them what it’s all about.’’

Bentleigh won the 2017-18 Championship premiership but missed out on the finals last season.

“We were disappointed with that, but there was still a lot of promise because we brought through three or four really good kids,’’ McNamara said.

“It’s a fine balance between teaching the kids and bringing them through to be First XI cricketers while at the same time being competitive and making Bentleigh a destination for all types of cricketers.’’

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He said the club was thankful for the work of Russ Keyt and Matt Thorpe in recruiting players.

In another positive for Bentleigh, it will have two senior women’s teams next season in the CSBW competition, and the club is launching All Girls sides.

The 13 and under girls will play on Wednesday nights and the 16 and under girls on Sunday morning.

Details: Rhiannon Robinson on 0479 006 071.