​Chesterfield bring in Sri Lankan all-rounder Kemira Wijenayake

The Queen's Park club have recruited Sri Lankan all-rounder Kemira Wijenayake as their overseas player for 2024.

The 22-year-old could prove a dynamic force in the Derbyshire League. An attacking right-handed batter and off-spinner, he has played 14 first-class matches and has been selected in the Kandy squad for the forthcoming National Super League one-day tournament.

He has already scored four half-centuries in his so-far brief first-class career.

He has had few opportunities to bowl at first-class level but has taken wickets for the Sri Lanka Air Force club in one-day and T20 games.

He is set for an important role with bat and ball for Chesterfield in their drive for promotion to the Premier Division and will also help with coaching the Club's juniors.

Club chairman Nigel Mallender said: "Kemira is a great signing for Chesterfield.

"As a club we felt we needed a little more experience to complement our young squad.

"While still only 22, Kemira's record shows he is highly experienced at virtually every level of cricket and he will arrive here with a growing reputation back in Sri Lanka.

"Kemira is looking to push his game to the next level and comes to England and Chesterfield with a strong desire to perform. We’re confident he will prove a great fit on and off the field and play a key role in helping us achieve our ambitions this season."

Wijenayake said: "I'm really looking forward to the opportunity of representing Chesterfield and playing at their amazing home ground.

"Chesterfield have a young and talented squad who narrowly missed out on promotion in 2023. Hopefully I can add some experience so we can go one step further this coming season.

"The Club are clearly ambitious and well organised and I'm excited by the challenge. I can't wait to get started."

He is the third addition to the squad for 2024, joining top-order batter Ben Kingham and wicket-keeper/batter Kieran Marsh.

*In addition to Chesterfield's full senior and junior programme, Queen's Park will host Derbyshire for nine days this summer.

They launch the annual festival with a four-day County Championship match against Yorkshire starting on Sunday, June 30. The two teams clash again in the Vitality Blast T20 the following Sunday.

The festival also includes a one-day game between top women's sides The Blaze and Southern Vipers on Friday, July 5.

Derbyshire return to the Park for a four-day Second XI Championship game against Yorkshire, starting on Tuesday, August 20.

As a prelude to the season, Chesterfield are holding an evening with former Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and England pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom at Chesterfield Panthers Rugby Club on Thursday, March 21.

Sidebottom took a hat-trick against New Zealand in 2008, one of only 14 occasions an England bowler has performed this feat in Test cricket.

Full details of this event and tickets are available from [email protected] or 07930 327207.