Indika Senarathne. PHOTO/FILE
Indika Senarathne's Indian summer continues as he makes his A-list one-day debut for the Central Districts Stags in New Plymouth today.
The 29-year-old Sri Lankan, who made his T20 debut for the Devon Hotel-sponsored CD in November and rubbed shoulders with retired international compatriot Mahela Jayawardene, will bat at No 6 today in the Ford Trophy match at Pukekura Park against the Northern Districts Knights from 11am.
The William Young-skippered Stags have a win, loss and no result after the last round was abandoned against the Otago Volts at the same venue due to rain.
Senarathne, of Kandy, who has played 26 limited-overs matches for Ragama CC in his country, joined CD yesterday after returning from Lincoln, near Christchurch, following his stint with the CD A side in the "very good standard" annual National Provincial A tourney.
In the only other change, Andrew Mathieson is out pending a back injury scan today, with Hawke's Bay seamer Blair Tickner in the equation.
With Marty Kain as No 1 spinner, coach Heinrich Malan will probably make Ajaz Patel the 12th man unless the wicket under cover offers prodigious bounce and turn, in which case, Tickner will carry the drinks.
NTOB import player Senarathne jetted back from the Provincial A tourney with ND A pair Cody Andrews (seamer) and allrounder Nick Kelly after CD A won that game by 98 runs.
"I faced the opening bowler [Andrews]," said Senarthne who opened with a crisp 54 runs from 34 balls in that game after scoring 30 against Auckland in the opening match loss although CD A are on the top of the table after trouncing Canterbury by 5 wickets yesterday.
However, the Knights are coming off a 101-run victory over the Auckland Aces but will be without Black Caps T20 allrounder Corey Anderson and injured Scott Kuggeleijn.
"I've already played for CD so it's great to be back together with them for some positiive cricket again," said Senarathne.
"I'm here to do my best and everyone's backing me," he said, enjoying trying to build the platform for CD in the first power play in the Georgie Pie Super Smash Twenty20 campaign as an opener but equally content to buckle down in the middle order to do his bit in the hope of securing a more permanent role.
While the job portfolio is different in that he has to either help the established batsman tick the run rate over or see the game through to the end, he relishes the opportunity to put some thought into his innings.
"Scoring is always good fun."
Senarathne was delighted to catch up with former academy and NOBM club coach Brendon Bracewell who had returned to Bay of Plenty between Christmas and New Year for a brief visit.
"He was really happy that I was playing first-class cricket now," he said of the former Kiwi international bowler who left for Perth two years ago after his academy was shut down amid some controversy with HBCA attempting to run its own equivalent although not much has emerged from the minor association on the progress of that venture.
Senarathne was among numerous overseas players living and playing cricket for predominantly premier clubs in the Bay.
"Brendon's helped me a lot and Dougie's always backing me every time I'm playing for CD," he said of the senior Bracewell's son who is a seamer in the Black Caps' test and ODI squads.
Senarathne also thanked his Complete Flooring Napier Technical Old Boys premier team and club for releasing him as an import player to compete at the elite levels in the past few weeks.
He hasn't been bowling at the top level, electing to rest his body.
"I've played 10 seasons of cricket," he says, adding he won't be going to Canada this winter although he will make a trip to Kandy to visit his mother before returning to Napier.
Senarathne is seeking New Zealand residency.
CD Stags: William Young (c), Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver (wk), Martin Kain, Ajaz Patel, Seth Rance, Jesse Ryder, Indika Senarthne, Bevan Small, Ben Smith, Blair Tickner, George Worker.
Coach: Heinrich Malan.
ND Knights: Daniel Flynn (c), Cody Andrews, James Baker, Jonathan Boult, Dean Brownlie, Anton Devcich, Tony Goodin, Brett Hampton, Nick Kelly, Daryl Mitchell, Tim Seifert, BJ Watling (wk).
Coach: James Pamment.