Derbyshire sign Suranga Lakmal on two-year, all-format contract

The Sri Lanka seam bowler is set to retire from international duty at the end of his country's Test series in India later this month, and subject to visa and ECB approval will then fly to the UK to begin preparation for the 2022 county campaign

Suranga Lakmal is to join Derbyshire on a two-year, all-format contract.

The Sri Lanka seam bowler is set to retire from international duty at the end of his country's Test series in India later this month, and subject to visa and ECB approval will then fly to the UK to begin preparation for the 2022 county campaign.

Lakmal, 34, has a good relationship with incoming head coach Mickey Arthur - the pair worked together in the Sri Lanka setup - and he offers tremendous know-how to Derbyshire as they look to make considerable improvements on a disappointing 2021 season.

He said the opportunity to be reunited with Arthur was "something I couldn't turn down".

This will be Lakmal's first foray into county cricket - his entire domestic career has taken place on home shores - but he does have experience of English conditions, having been a part of Sri Lankan Test tours in 2011 and 2016, and further white-ball trips in 2014, 2017 and 2019.

^{Suranga Lakmal has joined Derbyshire on a two-year contract (Ishara S Kodikara/AFP via Getty Images)}

What's more, he has routinely been more prolific away from home during his Sri Lanka career, with 130 of his 168 Test scalps coming abroad. 

And age does not appear to have presented a problem, with Lakmal's record in Tests since 2018 reading 72 wickets at 24.73.

Derbyshire's crop of young seamers - Sam Conners, Ben Aitchison, Mikey Cohen and George Scrimshaw - will certainly benefit from sharing a dressing room with a veteran international, who has 165 caps to his name across formats. 

Furthermore, his captaincy experience - Lakmal led Sri Lanka in five Tests - will bring important leadership qualities to the County Ground. 

SURANGA LAKMAL: CAREER STATS

First-class: 128 matches, 344 wickets (ave 31.85, eco 3.30)

List A: 170 matches, 235 wickets (ave 28.56, eco 5.29)

T20: 66 matches, 69 wickets (ave 24.86, eco 8.07)

Lakmal is likely to be a potent weapon in early-season Championship conditions, when swing and seam movement with the Dukes ball is at its most pronounced, but he will also be available for the Royal London Cup and the T20 Blast.

Arthur, who is yet to formally arrive in Derby owing to visa issues but is expected to be in situ this month, was delighted with the signing.

He said: "Suranga is among Sri Lanka’s all-time greats with the ball and it’s brilliant to be able to bring him to Derbyshire for the next two seasons.

"We have big ambitions for the project at Derbyshire, and Suranga’s decision to retire from international cricket and commit to the club shows he’s as excited about those plans as the other players and coaches.

^{Lakmal will retire from international cricket after the Test series with India (Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty Images)}

"He knows my standards and can set the example for our young players on and off the field, and to add his quality to our ranks gives us a whole new dimension with the ball."

Lakmal said: "Experiencing county cricket is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and the chance to work with Mickey again was something I couldn’t turn down.

"I’ve loved every second of my international career, and I would like to thank Sri Lanka for giving me the opportunity to live my dream. Hopefully I can bring that experience into this new challenge, to help the young bowlers, who are already making an impact at Derbyshire."