Sub-District cricket: Lahiru Thirimanne to play for Endeavour Hills in Round 1 of season

Lahiru Thirimanne has made two Test tons this year. This Saturday he’ll make his debut in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association.

Test cricketer Lahiru Thirimanne (right) with Endeavour Hills great Richard Saniga (left) and president Arun Rajendran.

Lahiru Thirimanne has made two Test match centuries this year.

On Saturday he’ll make his debut in Victorian Sub-District cricket.

In a remarkable piece of recruiting, Endeavour Hill has lined up the left-hander to play a handful of matches before he returns to Sri Lanka for his international duties.

Thirimanne is an Australian resident and his wife gave birth to their second child late last week.

The 32-year-old will play Subbies under the captaincy of his former Sri Lankan teammate Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Hills’ new coach.

Thirimanne, 32, has played 42 Tests, 127 ODIs and 26 Twenty20 matches for Sri Lanka.

In seven Tests this year he cracked 659 runs at 50.69, scoring 111 against England at Galle and 140 at Pallekele.

Only Joe Root, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant have scored more Test runs in 2021.

On Saturday Thirimanne hit 50-odd retired in an Endeavour Hills intraclub match ahead of its Round 1 match against St Bernards.

“I came here for my family reason and actually it’s good to be in touch with cricket,’’ he told Leader.

Sri Lanka's Lahiru Thirimanne in battle against Australia in 2019.

“We (Sri Lanka) have a lot of cricket coming up. I’ll stay in touch and have some cricket at Endeavour Hills until then. (Dilshan), I played with him for five or six years. It’s good to have him the club as well. Looking forward to it.’’

Dilshan made 87 Test appearances for Sri Lanka, as well as 330 one-dayers and 80 T20s.

Last season he had a few games for Premier club Casey South Melbourne.

He had signed to play at Mulgrave in the Eastern association in 2021-22, only to cross to Endeavour Hills after Mully said they had been forced to release Dilshan and other Sri Lankan internationals for financial reasons brought on by their inability to stage marquee T20 matches.

At the same time the club said it was also withdrawing from a joint venture in Subbies with Endeavour Hills.

The Hills have struggled for success in Sub-District cricket but new president Arun Rajendran said the club was ready to mark in the competition.

President Arun Rajendran with assistant coach Sanjeewa Weerasinghe.

He said it had a new-look committee and increased sponsorship to go with it recruits.

It has also recruited former Moorabbin champion Susantha Pradeep from Dandenong District club Buckley Ridges.

“We have a good side this time,’’ Thirimanne said.

“A very good side actually and we have to deliver some good performances.’’

He said Dilshan was enthusiastic and committed and he expected the right-hander to have an excellent season.

As for his 2021, Thirimanne said he was pleased with his batting.

He said he had made technical adjustments, felt confident in his game and was at an age where he should be playing his best cricket.

“I had a very good year in 2021 and I think I can make it bigger next year as well,’’ Thirimanne said.

“I believe a cricketer who is 31, 32, 33, that is the best age to play.’’

Thirimanne will be a five-point player for Endeavour Hills.

Endeavour Hills great Richard Saniga said having Test players would bring the club and the competition great exposure.

Asked if the Hills could make the finals, Saniga said: “If you win enough games, you can, yeah. You can have good players but you’ve still got to play as a team. Everyone has to pitch in.’’

Meanwhile, another former Sri Lankan Test player, Sanjeewa Weerasinghe, has been appointed assistant coach.

Weerasinghe was 17 when he played his one and only Test match, which brought Sri Lanka its first victory in Tests.