DREW Postlethwaite is confident Lahiru Jayakody will prove a big hit at Haverigg next summer after the club clinched the signing of the Sri Lankan all-rounder for 2019.

The 24-year-old joins as the Poolsiders’ overseas professional for the North Lancashire & Cumbria Cricket League campaign, where the club will be striving for promotion back to the Premier Division after being relegated.

Jayakody – nicknamed ‘Larry’ – has experience of English club cricket from spending the past two years at Manchester Cricket League Premier Division side Denton St Lawrence, where he scored over 1,100 runs and took more than 70 wickets, along with coaching both the senior and junior teams.

So it is no surprise Haverigg captain Postlethwaite is excited to get Jayakody on board for their promotion bid.

“When we received Larry’s profile and availability, we tried to get his signature as quick as possible,” said Postlethwaite.

“He’s an experienced UK professional, even though he’s only 24 and he has also done a lot of coaching at his previous club and this is something he wants to carry on at Haverigg, with both the juniors and seniors.

“Larry will add huge batting quality to our team, especially at the top of our order and he’s a very handy seam bowler too, which will be great alongside our young seam bowling attack.

“You only have to look at his First-class stats to see that we have signed a player with a lot of talent and we hope he will be a big hit, on and off the field, at Haverigg CC next summer – and help us achieve a return back to the Premier Division, which is where we want to be as a club.”

Jayakody plies his trade for Bloomfield Cricket & Athletic Club in the top tier of Sri Lankan domestic cricket, and averages over 30 with the bat in both First-class – including a top score of 118 not out – and List A formats, and is currently playing in Australia for the Town club.

“He comes greatly recommended by respected Sri Lankan cricketer, Shashrika Pussegolla, with whom he used to be a team mate and he couldn’t speak highly enough of him.” said Havrigg batsman and committee member Jordan Postlethwaite.

“He’s got good stats from his previous spells over here in a very good standard, so we can’t wait to get him to Haverigg, get started and, hopefully, bounce back to the Premier Division at the first attempt.

“I would also like to thank his agent, Kenny Statham of Konnect Sports Agency, for his help and patience in ensuring Larry’s signature for Haverigg CC for the 2019 season.”