WORCESTERSHIRE centurion Matt Pardoe has praised the impact veteran Thilan Samaraweera has had on his fledgling career.

The 36-year-old Sri Lankan batsman, who played 81 Tests for his country, was recruited as the County’s overseas player for this term and Pardoe feels he has reaped massive benefits in a short space of time playing together.

The upturn in fortunes for Stourbridge-born Pardoe has been evident this term, none more so in the eight-wicket LV= County Championship Division Two victory over Glamorgan when he scored his maiden First-Class hundred.

The 22-year-old left-handed opener said: “Talking with Sammy has helped me a lot and he has been brilliant — I have spoken to him so much every single day.

“It has been priceless what I have been able to learn from him in such a short space of time.

“He knows all about the technical side of the game, but personally I’ve asked him more about the mental aspects of cricket and your mindset — how to approach and build an innings.”

Pardoe added: “My maiden hundred was a long time coming and to finally get there was an amazing feeling.

“Now that I’ve got the monkey off the back, hopefully the floodgates can open in terms of hundreds.

“I got 89 against Gloucester, so to get so close before getting out to the second new ball was devastating.

“Luckily, against Glamorgan, I went about things more quickly and got there before the second new ball.

“Rather than hovering in the 90s, I thought I might as well go for it and take on the short boundary — it worked out for me, so happy days.

“It was brilliant for me personally, but the team win was really special and nothing beats the feeling of a Championship hundred.

“I’ve been doing the opening job of seeing off the new ball and getting starts, but I had not gone on, which was disappointing. But now I’ve proved to myself and the lads I can get hundreds.

“The belief was always there, but now I have done it once, hopefully it should be a lot easier next time.

“At some of the bigger counties, I wouldn’t have had a look-in, so it’s great to have been given a chance here at the club where I have grown up. Hopefully, we can go on to build a good side based on the young squad we have.”