Ballyspallen has swooped to sign talented Sri Lankan wicket-keeper batter Damith Perera for their 2021 North West Cricket Union campaign.

A domestic run machine…

Perera is quite the prospect playing for Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club in the top tier (A) of Sri Lankan domestic cricket.

A powerful left-handed top-order batter/wicket-keeper, Perera was picked up by Tamil Union in 2020, following stints with Badureliya (2019/20), and his Kurunegala Youth (2017/18-18/19).

In his final season for KY, the former Maliyadeva College star topped the Premier League Tournament (Tier B) run charts with 792 runs at 56.57 to include three centuries (116, 106, 106) and four fifties (67, 90, 67*, 62).

These impressive numbers backed up his 2017/18 season where he chalked up 531 runs at 37.92 (1×100, 4x50s) to finish second on KYCC’s run charts.

Record-breaking twin tons

In 2019/20, though, Perera suffered a dip in form and only averaged 22.20 for BSC.

However, he swiftly made amends in August 2020, by hitting twin centuries against Sinhalese Sports Club (113, 112*).

In doing so, he became only the 31st player to hit tons in both innings in Sri Lankan first-class cricket.

Damith in action for our CricX XI v Tatenda Taibu XI at Formby CC in 2019.

Perera abroad

The talented keeper/batter played his maiden UK season for Farnworth Social Circle for the Bolton League in 2019.

Whilst he perhaps under-performed in the league, by his own high standards, he excelled in the T20 competition, to include a high of 101* from only 54 balls against Atherton, en-route to a season average of 48.

For 2020, Perera was set to play in Scotland for Greenock Cricket Club in the strong Western Premier Division before COVID struck.

Now set for maiden NI stint

However, he is now set to return to Northern shores again in 2021 having recently signed with Ballyspallen for their North West Cricket Union campaign.