Barrow Cricket Club have signed Sri Lankan all-rounder Dineth Thimodya as their overseas player as a replacement for Grant Roelofsen.

South African Roelofsen was due to have his second season at Ernest Pass, but the 22-year-old wicketkeeper has broken into the Dolphins' team back in his homeland in recent months and has been named in their squad for the Ram Slam T20 Challenge, which gets under way today.

Losing Roelofsen does represent a blow for Barrow, who play in the Northern Premier League, as he has an impressive first-class average of just over 44, with his top score of 224 not out coming for KwaZulu Natal against Namibia in February last year.

Thimodya, who has signed through agency World Sports Xchange is a 22-year-old batsman who plays domestic cricket in Sri Lanka for Ragama, for who he struck a career-best 127 in a 50-over match against Negombo last month.

He has played in 19 first-class matches in his career, has a healthy batting average of 38.88 and has two centuries to his name, while also passing 50 on six other occasions.

Barrow begin their season away at Garstang on April 20.