RADCLIFFE professional Pasan Wanasinghe is to up stumps and move clubs after the Racecourse side reluctantly released the popular Sri Lankan for financial reasons.

But he will leave with words of praise flowing from all at Radcliffe as he searches for a new club.

Vice-chairman Dave Halliwell enthused: "Pasan has been a tremendous pro for us and we are very sad to see him go.

"He has scored lots of runs and taken bags of wickets while also coaching our junior and senior cricketers. I really can't speak highly enough of him."

Pasan is returning to Sri Lanka to play in Colombo this winter and he is hoping to fix himself up with a new club soon.

The former international said: "I would maybe like to change next summer and possibly play in the Lancashire League.

"I have played in the Central Lancashire League for a long time now and have had a very good time, both at Unsworth and now with Radcliffe. The people at Radcliffe are so friendly and I will miss playing for them next season very much."

When not terrorising opposition sides, Pasan spends his weeks coaching all over the Lancashire area and his work with the younger members of the Radcliffe first team is not lost on the vice-chairman.

Dave said: "Pasan, Bruce Cruse and Graeme Simpson have been fantastic for us this season and helped the younger players no end by passing on their experience during what has been a tough season.

"We would love to have Pasan next year and he will be missed but we have suffered from the poor weather this season and it is reflected in our financial situation when people aren't coming down to the ground as much."

Radcliffe's loss will definitely be some other club's gain with the all-rounder scoring over 1050 runs so far this season and taking 64 wickets.