CALLINGTON have announced the signing of Sri Lankan batting all-rounder Sanoj Darshika ahead of next summer’s ECB Cornwall Premier League campaign.

The 20-year-old, who plays for Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club in Colombo, has played eight first-class matches with a superb batting average of 56.55 as well as taking eight wickets at 21.75.

This will be his first overseas assignment and Callington skipper Joe White is excited to see what Darshika brings.

He said: “We’ve been looking to add a quality top-order batsman to our squad. We decided to go down the route of acquiring a Tier Five licence so that we could sign a professional cricketer, and after a few recommendations we have managed to bring in a quality all-rounder in Sanoj.

“I see him batting at number four for us and bowling as a frontline leg-spinner alongside Harry Sawyers.

“He will also be coaching both seniors and juniors throughout the week, which is great for us as a club.”

Callington have avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth in the last two seasons, but with a plethora of new signings, White hopes that they will be battling away in mid-table at least, especially after recruiting batsmen.

Last year they managed to pass 200 on just one occasion but have brought in 24-year-old Rhys Davies, who has moved back to the area having previously played for the club as well as neighbours Tavistock.

In recent years, Davies has turned out for Essex Seconds, MCC Young Cricketers as well as Twickenham in the Middlesex County Cricket League Premier Division.

A host of young batsman are making the step up to Premier League cricket for the first time.

Former Lewdown batsman Kian Burns, 18, has moved to the area and joins from Bradninch who ply their trade in the A Division of the Devon League, while Luke Brenton and Ryan Brown have made the short trip across from local rivals Luckett.

Expected to join them in making the move from the Chapel Field are all-rounder Andrew Hoskin and batsman Leion Cole.

Charlie Coates has also agreed to make a return to Moores Park. The hard-hitting middle-order batsman scored over 370 runs in County Division One back in 2017, but despite struggling in the top-flight in half a dozen trips to the crease a year later, he smashed over 400 runs in just 11 innings for Menheniot-Looe in Division Two East last summer.

White expects all of them to make a difference to a side which already includes proven performers such as Aidan Libby and Chris Davies.

However arguably the signing which will please the squad the most, is that of Rob Mutch.

Not only has the South African left-armer took over 180 wickets in the last four seasons at Launceston in both Division Two East and County Division One, he is happy to fill a role not many are so keen to do.

White said: “Rob has professional experience having played for Somerset and Easterns back in South Africa so he will be a huge asset, especially as he likes bowling up the hill at Callington, unlike the rest of our attack.”

White doesn’t believe the lack of top-flight experience will matter.

He said: “The fact that some of our new players haven’t played Premier League cricket before, I don’t see as an issue. They have played at county through the county age groups and dominated at their league level, so the step up won’t be a problem.

“Rob Mutch has played first-class cricket, Kian was at Bradninch when they were in the Devon Premier League a couple of years ago and Charlie has also played Premier League cricket for us in the past, so they know what they’re in for and are all eager for the challenge that the Premier League brings.”

With nine new signings and only 22 available slots each week across both teams, White knows choosing sides is going to be difficult.

He said: “Competition for places is high which is a luxury we haven’t had in recent years. I want people who aren’t selected to be disappointed, but it’s those that have the attitude to train hard and perform to get their spot in the first team that we are looking for. Nobody has a guaranteed place, myself included.

“What’s really important to us this season is getting the seconds promoted to Division Two East as we want as little a gap in standard as possible for when players are called up to the firsts.”

Despite having a much stronger side on paper, White is refusing to set any targets at this stage.

He said: “I’m not going to get ahead of myself I know a lot of clubs around us are recruiting well. Signing new players doesn’t necessarily make a successful team. We have to work hard through the winter, put in the hard yards and make sure we are preparing properly to ensure we are ready to hit the ground running come the start of the season.”