Strathmore regains services of Sri Lanka Test paceman Chanaka Welegedara

Strathmore bolsters its attack ahead of its debut VSDCA season, regaining the services of a Sri Lanka Test quick while retaining a breakout star.

Chanaka Welegedara in action for Strathmore. Picture: Julian Smith

New VSDCA club Strathmore has bolstered its attack ahead of its debut season.

Former Sri Lanka Test paceman and 2018-19 premiership player Chanaka Welegedara has returned to Lebanon Reserve after one season away.

Fellow flag-winner Jack Condon will also return, while the Mores fended off Premier Cricket offers to retain star batsman Chris Williams.

Welegedara spent the 2020-21 season with Buckley Ridges in the Dandenong District association, taking 20 wickets in nine matches.

The 21-Test quick spent three seasons with the Mores, playing 40 VTCA Senior Division matches and taking 94 scalps, including a hat-trick against Yarraville Club in 2018-19.

Chanaka Welegedara in action for Strathmore. Picture: Hamish Blair

Coach Omar Phillips was looking forward to adding his experience and leadership on- and off-field.

“It’s fantastic to have him back, obviously someone with his personality and effort is a role model,” Phillips said.

“All the boys look up to him, so they’re happy that we got him over the line, it brings a different buzz to the club.

“At that level you need some experience to guide the younger ones and he’s done it internationally.

“He can guide them how you go about it, it’s a more disciplined comp, it’s not just all-out attack, so I think he adds that for us.

“I think the boys learnt a lot from him before he left last season, so he’ll come back an add an extra option in attack and be a go-to factor.”

Welegedara will serve as an assistant coach under Phillips, a former Test player for the West Indies himself.

The pair, along with Williams, will also head Strathmore’s high performance junior development program, which will aim to prepare young players for the step up to senior cricket.

“This year, we’re trying to go about it a little different, we’re not focusing just on senior cricket, we’re also focusing on junior cricket,” Phillips said.

“This is what I believe in, the development of the juniors, because this is who you’re going to be looking at in a couple of years.

Jack Condon in action for Strathmore.

Chris Williams in action for Strathmore. Picture: Hamish Blair

“If you want longevity as a club you have to buy into your junior programs and show them that you care.”

Williams was hot property during the off-season, fielding offers from Premier Cricket clubs, but decided to stick with Strathmore.

The damaging top order batsman finished the home-and-away season as the second highest runscorer in Senior Division with 507 runs at an average 42.25.

Phillips was rapt to have retained Williams’ services.

“I’m a firm believer, now that we’ve gone to Subbies – a higher competition – if he can do it again and show consistency that’s the most important thing rather than being the flavour of the month,” he said.

“It’s fantastic to keep him, a lot of teams will have to be mindful of the destruction he can cause. We need him to be a leader in the club.”

Meanwhile, Condon returns after two seasons with VTCA Division 1 club West Coburg.

“Jack is a homegrown kid, I worked with him the last couple of years even after he left,” Phillip said.

MOVE: STRATHMORE READY FOR VSDCA STEP UP

LEADER: GET YOUR SUBBIES CRICKET NEWS HERE

GDCA: 15 CLUBS PROMOTED IN MAJOR RESTRUCTURE

“He has a lot of offer, he’s a young man with great ambitions and he can come back and add to the formula we want to create at the club.

“It’s better when you play with your mates sometimes, it frees you mind.”

Strathmore was one of four clubs to join the Subbies competition for 2021-22, along with Port Melbourne, Spotswood and Donvale.

The Mores will play in the strong North group, which this season will face the VSDCA’s Eastern block clubs.