Jayantha has played against some of the game’s greats, including Sachin Tendulkar, Andrew Flintoff and Australians Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, with 17 one-day international matches to his name.

Now, the explosive top-order bat has joined Golden Point for the remainder of the Ballarat Cricket Association season, signing for next summer as well.

Jayantha, 40, has taken his game to England and arrives in Ballarat off an extensive first-class career in Sri Lanka for the chance to play Australian club cricket.

But Ballarat was no random choice.

His old school friend Carman Mapatuna captains the Napoleons-Sebastopol firsts and the BCA senior representative team, on which he has already been briefing Jayantha.

The Pointies had been working to have Jayantha at Eastern Oval for the season’s start but were slowed by tightened customs and border control, particularly with the inflow of cricketers flying to Australia and New Zealand for the upcoming World Cup.

Approved at Christmas, Jayantha – or “Sami” as his new teammates have quickly nicknamed him – was an exciting addition to training on Thursday night and has been named to play in the Point firsts against Darley on Saturday in the first post-Christmas game 

back.

Still jet-lagged at training – he arrived in Ballarat at 1am that morning – Jayantha could hardly wait to finally get started.

“I want to be playing. I do not rest,” Jayantha said.

“I’ve had a couple of chats and emails with Josh (Point captain Josh White) and I’ve watched a couple of games and scores through the internet – I want to know who is doing really well.

“There are some good young players here.”

Jayantha made his inter-national cricket debut against Australia in Colombo in 1994 and averaged 26.66 runs in his ODI career, with a highest score of 74 not out.

His other major teams include Mumbai Champs in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League.

Pointies president Mark van de Heuvel said it was fantastic to have a player of Jayantha’s calibre about the club.

He said Point had been toying with the idea of importing such a player for a couple of years. 

Jayantha has level-two coaching accreditation and will be involved in Point’s junior program.

melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au