Kirkburton is delighted to announce the re-signing of their Sri Lankan legend Roscoe Thattil for another Drakes Huddersfield stint in 2023.
Thattil is an accomplished first-class batting all-rounder playing for Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club in Sri Lankan domestic cricket.
Thattil has played 58 first-class matches and scored 3,021 runs at 35.54 and taken 29 wickets at 33.72, not to mention the small matter of 26 wickets at 16.84 (SR: 14.10) in domestic T20 cricket.
He moved back to Sri Lankan Air Force this summer (2022/23) following successful stints with ts with Burgher Recreation Club (2012/13), Badureliya (2015/16), and Negombo (2019/20-21/22), having spent his formative years with the SL Air (2011/12-18/19)
His three seasons for SL Air prior to joining Negombo were particularly productive, hitting season tallies of 399 runs at 44.33 (2016/17), 459 runs at 32.78 (2017/18), and 461 runs at 41.90 (2018/19).
Whilst bowling opportunities have been limited in red-ball cricket he has starred in T20 cricket, taking 8 wickets at 13 (2017/18), 5 wickets at 19.80 (2018/19), and 7 wickets at 16.14 (2020/21) in recent seasons.
The all-rounder made his first-class debut for SL Air Force back in 2011/12, before stints with Burgher Recreation Club (2012/13), Ragama Cricket Club (2014/15), and Bagureliya Sports Club (2015/16). Thattil has also enjoyed success abroad, with stints in England (2013, 2019, 2021, 2022), New Zealand (2013/14), and Australia (2014/15).
During his maiden overseas trip, Thattil struggled with the bat, but excelled with the ball, finishing third on the Southern Premier League (Division 1) wicket charts. The all-rounder then headed down under, playing a season in the Wellington Premier Competition for Johnsonville. This time, he produced the goods with the bat, scoring 429 runs at 39, albeit was used sparingly with the ball. In 2014/15, Thattil played over the ditch in Australia for Newcastle District Cricket Association club Charlestown District. He scored 450 runs at 22.50 and took 28 wickets at 19.25 in a solid season’s first grade.
Over the past 3 full UK seasons (2019, 2020, 2022), he has been the stand-out professional in the Drakes Huddersfield League – winning the title as “Best Overseas” in 2021. Over his three seasons, he racked up 8 centuries amongst 3,278 runs at 43.13 alongside 61 wickets at 25.72.
Given the Sri Lankan’s success, it’s unsurprising Kirkburton has re-signed their star pro for yet another season in 2023.
