Nipuna Gamage

Nipuna Gamage is a promising batter playing for Kalutara Town in Sri Lanka's Major League Tournament this summer.

The talented batter returned to Kalutara following stints with Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club (2019/20), and Sebastianites Cricket and Athletic Club (2021/22). He had previously enjoyed following three prolific seasons with Kalutara Town between 2016/17 and 2018/19 (969 runs at 28.50).

Gamage burst onto the domestic season for KTC in 2016/17, striking 491 runs at 35.07. The former St Thomas’ College student started his first-class career with a bang, hitting 50* v Kalutara Town Physically Centre on debut. He then backed up with a magnificent 148* against a Panadura attack featuring former Sri Lankan quick’s Hasantha Fernando, Charitha Buddhika, and CricX star tweaker Gayan Sirisoma.

It was a sublime effort, from a young batter destined for higher honours. Most young players suffer from "second season syndrome", but not Gamage who produced an excellent back-up 2017/18 season, hitting 261 runs at 26.10. He then produced a further 217 runs at 21.70 in 2018/19, before 200 runs at 25 during his debut 2019/20 season for Bloomfield. Last summer, he joined KTC and struck 246 runs at 20.50.

Rolling back the years, Gamage first earned his professional debut following success for Moratuwa Sports Club and Burgher Recreation Club Under-23s, Gamage featured for the International College of Business and Technology (Colombo) at the Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals in India (2015/16), eventually losing in the Semi-Final to Loughborough University.

A technically sound and free-flowing left-handed batter, Gamage also bowls handy off-spin which he put to good effect during his maiden UK stint in 2019. Playing for Hatherley and Reddings, he impressed in the West of England Premier League (Gloucestershire Division) taking 22 league wickets at 16.77 alongside 602 runs at 33.44. Given his maiden season's success, the Cheltenham-based club re-signed their Sri Lankan prospect for a second stint in 2021. He scored another 544 runs at 30.22 alongside 22 wickets at 21.05 in all cricket for the club.

Over the past two seasons (2022-23), he has excelled for Brooke in the Norfolk Alliance. He starred in his maiden season belting 1,009 runs at 50.45 alongside 27 wickets at 27.93. Last summer, he suffered and underwhelming season, but will look to make amends in 2024 having re-signed with Brooke for a third stint next summer.