WERRINGTON director of cricket Adam Hodgson says the club are ‘over the moon’ following the announcement that Sri Lankan professional Thulina Dilshan is to return to Ladycross for a second season in 2025.

The diminutive right-hander, who also bowls some handy leg-spin, had an indifferent start, but once he settled in produced some fine performances to sit third in the ECB Cornwall Premier League run-scoring list with 593 at a shade under 40.

Centuries against Truro and Callington and a match-winning 90 not out against Helston showed what he is capable of.

While he was sparsely used with the ball, he did take 5-35 against Camborne in August, as the North Cornwall outfit finished a healthy sixth after losing four of their first five games.

Reflecting on the decision, Hodgson said: “We are over the moon to secure Dilly's services for next season as there were other clubs sniffing around, so we needed to move on it early. 

“When it got towards the end of the season we started conversations with him and he said he really wanted to come back. I took this to the committee and there wasn't a single objection, everyone was on board so we got it signed.

“It was a very different conversation to this time last year when we proposed a professional for the first time. Naturally there were a lot of concerns before we went down the professional route, it was a major shift in thinking for the club and understandably there was a bit of apprehension about it, including from me, but in the end it went as I had hoped it would and has hopefully set us up to keep it going for the foreseeable.”

Dreadful weather in March and April meant the season was delayed, and Hodgson feels it had an impact.

He said: “From the first net session we could see Thulina was a proper player, with bat and ball. 

“He had a slow start, but we really need to take into consideration that it was his first time outside of his country, the weather was awful, we kept getting cancelled and it was not any easy start for him culturally, but then once we got going and could train properly, and it warmed up a bit, he was fine.

“It took him a little while to adapt to Cornish decks, the first decent wicket we played on was down at Truro and he banged 122. His bowling came good towards the end of the season as well, he was unplayable in the nets and at first struggled to take that into the games, but towards the end we saw what he can do with the ball and look forward to more of this next year.

“I would also say he's the best fielder I've ever played with, he changed games with his fielding and some of it was unbelievable.”

While Dilshan is ultimately judged on what happens on the pitch, he made a superb impression off it.

Hodgson enthused: “Nothing is a problem for Dilly, he's super helpful and humble, a lovely guy.

“The kids absolutely love him, once he settled in he started doing one-to-one sessions with several of our youth and senior players, nobody had a bad word to say about it, he helped me a lot.”

Hodgson believes Werrington supporters could be in for a treat next summer.

He said: “Hopefully Dilly will take his form in the second half into next year, now he knows what to expect.

“I think he will, historically the first season for Sri Lankans are a bit slow, so if this was a slow season I cannot wait to see what he brings in 2025. If we can have a dry spring and summer then look out.”