Chandana joins Gloucestershire (From Stroud News and Journal)

Chandana joins Gloucestershire

GLOUCESTERSHIRE CCC have pulled off one of the most exciting signings of the winter so far in recruiting Sri Lankan leg spinner Upul Chandana for the 2005 season.

The experienced all-rounder signed on for the County Ground outfit at the weekend and will take his place as one of the club's overseas players for the new campaign, which begins in April.

Chandana, 32, has taken 138 wickets in 133 one-day internationals for Sri Lanka, and has also played in 13 Tests. Last July, he took ten wickets in a match against Australia at Cairns in what is widely regarded as his greatest ever performance.

A potentially explosive middle-order batsman, Chandana is a big-name overseas recruit for Gloucestershire in the mould of South African legend Jonty Rhodes, who signed for the club in 2003 and went on to have an excellent season.

His wealth of limited-overs experience with both the ball and the bat also makes him an asset for the side, whose one-day superiority over the past ten years has been almost unprecedented.

Player-coach Mark Alleyne was delighted with his latest capture, and said at the weekend: "Upul Chandana represents everything that is good about Sri Lankan cricket.

"I have had the pleasure of touring there on four occasions and there is a passion in their cricket that is synonymous with Gloucestershire's cricket. This opportunity to have him in our side is exciting and, as a truly multi-skilled cricketer, we can expect a huge participation from him on the field."

Chandana added: "As one of the first Sri Lankans to be given the opportunity to come over and play county cricket, I am very excited and feel privileged to be playing for Gloucestershire for the coming season in England.

"I feel I can add to all the success that the club has enjoyed in recent years (the one-day form of the club has been exceptional) and cannot wait to contribute in any way I can.

"In a very difficult time for the country, I hope to give some pleasure and show what Sri Lankans can do. I am very much looking forward to the challenge."

Chandana first came to international attention when he was asked to captain Sri Lanka A in 2002 in a Test series against Kenya, when he topped both the batting and bowling averages.

A gifted fielder, capable of match-turning run-outs and spectacular airbourne catches, he had been in and out of both the Test and one-day squads over the years before finally cementing a regular place in the one-day team in 2003 after several match-winning innings from the middle order.

His place in the national side as a leg-spinner has obviously been hindered by the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan, although the latter's withdrawal from the tour to Australia in 2004 put additional responsibility on Chandana, who shined under the spotlight with a match-winning performance in the Test match at Cairns