MPCA: Ballam Park’s Sri Lankan Pradeep De Silva hits another century
A Mornington Peninsula batsman with five centuries in six weeks says he’s still hungry for more runs.
South East
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He likes to play every shot in the book — well, except the block.
There’s no more destrucive batter in local cricket than Ballam Park opener Pradeep De Silva, who is having the sort of summer most batsmen can only dream about.
He unleashed another batting blitz on Saturday, smashing 136 off 86 balls against Tyabb in MPCA Sub District 1sts.
It was Pradeep’s fourth century of the season for Ballam Park — and his fifth ton in all when you add in a Sunday league hundred for CUCC Kings.
Since January 15, he’s peeled off scores of 111, 109, 109, 89no, 109 and 136.
Pradeep, 32, played three first-class games for Singha Sports Club in Sri Lanka as a 19-year-old.
Since coming to Australia two years ago he’s been a batting excitement machine for Ballam Park.
Last season he smashed a 50-year MPCA batting record when he blasted 179 — a Sub District record — against Mt Martha.
Asked if he was in the form of his life, Pradeep said: “nearly there”.
He says his favourite shot is the pull and, to tempt bowlers to drop short, he takes off his helmet after two or three overs.
Pradeep’s century against Tyabb on Saturday was dynamic.
He pulled his second ball for four and dispatched his eighth ball for a straight six.
On 24, he played an audacious lap sweep for four…and another paddle for four to got to 34.
Pradeep hit Tyabb’s Luke Russ for 4 and then 6 from his first two deliveries .
His 50 came off 27 balls and his 100 off 59 rocks.
Tyabb leg spinner Paul Nelson dropped a difficult caught and bowled chance when Pradeep was on 101.
He was 116 when the Ballam Park score was 3-136.
Pradeep’s dazzling knock ended in the 31st over when he was caught on the boundary off the bowling of Nelson.
He put away 13 fours and 6 sixes.
PRADEEP DE SILVA’S SIZZLING SUMMER
January 15: 111 for Ballam Park v Balnarring
January 22: 109 for Ballam Park v Boneo
January 23: 109 for CUCC Kings v Sunrise
February 19: 109 for Ballam Park v Rye
February 26: 136 for Ballam Park v Tyabb
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