DALTON CC have made a big statement of their intentions for next summer by signing a high-quality Sri Lankan international and IPL star.

The arrival of left-arm quickie Thilan Thushara to Ulverston Road should give the newly-promoted side a great chance of surviving and thriving in the North Lancs and Cumbria League Premier Division.

Thusara – who played 54 matches for Sri Lanka across three formats between 2003 and 2010 – replaces South African all-rounder JP Van Aswgen as the club’s overseas player, with high hopes he can bring out the best in a young but talented group of players.

The 34-year-old took 85 wickets at 33.51 for his country, and since departing international cricket he has continued to shine in the Sri Lankan first-class game, claiming 27 wickets at 19.92 in 2013/14.

Thushara is no mug with the bat either, having averaged 18.66 with an ODI best of 54 not out. He has also scored ten 50s and a century in domestic first-class and List-A cricket in his home country and has played IPL cricket for Chennai Super Kings.

These stats will provide great heart to Dalton, who have not played in the top tier of the North Lancs set-up since 2010, with only a couple of the current first-team squad having played at that level.

One of those is 31-year-old seamer and former North Lancs League XI paceman Jon Bell who is excited at the prospect of teaming up with Thusara.

“He looks a great signing for us,” said Bell. “We’re a really young side apart from myself and Adam Gibson (fellow seamer) and when we all got together at the end of the season to discuss things we decided we wanted to get someone in with experience.

“We thought a quick bowler would be best and we also thought maybe we should get a left armer because that’s something a bit different.

“We got in touch with a few agents and as soon as this lad’s name came up we snapped him up straight away.”

Dalton stormed to the Division One title last season, led by some fine bowling displays by Gibson, who topped the averages with 48 wickets at less than 10 runs apiece. Jack Singleton was the key man at the crease, hitting nearly 400 runs at 35.36, while Bell and several others chipped in with regular runs and wickets.

Dan Sharpe’s side are likely to find it a lot more difficult next season when they will be up against many of the top sides in the county, but they will do their best to be fully prepared.

“We had a really good season winning it last year,” said Bell.

“But obviously it’s going to be a lot tougher next year and as long as we stay up I think we will have had a good season.

“It will be a huge help having such an experienced player as the new pro with us – both on and off the field. He will be able to lead us in training and help bring the young lads on.

“JP did a good job for us, but we thought with going up a level we needed that extra bit of class. We wouldn’t have won the league without him so he did his job.

“Obviously it’s going to be a tough year ahead, but getting a really good pro gives us a chance of competing every week which is what we want really.”

He added: “I I think me and Adam (Gibson) are possibly the only Dalton players to have played in the Premier Division before.

“We have lost a lot of experienced players over recent years, but the lads who have come in have done well. “We’ve played against a couple of Premier Division teams in cup competitions last season.

“In the Higson Cup we played Workington (the eventual cup winners) and got hammered. But that was a good eye opener for us, and we beat Haverigg in the County Cup, which was good so we know we can compete.”

Bell – once one of the quickest seamers in the league – suffered a bad leg break a couple of years back and will be happy to play more of a supporting role with the ball next season, especially if Gibson and Thusara are firing, and with the likes of Tony Butler and Lewis Woodend ready to chip in.

“I don’t want to be bowling too many overs any more!,” joked Bell, whose dad Brian and sister Nicola have also excelled as bowlers in the local amateur game.

“I have managed to stay injury-free for the past year at least, but I’m getting a bit older now so I can’t bowl like I used to.

“Hopefully I can keep fit and Adam had a great season last year so we’ll be looking for him to do that again and obviously with the pro we should have a good bowling attack.

“And then there’s the likes of Tony Butler and Lewis Woodend who can come in and do a job for us.”