The Sri Lankan blasted a rapid 89, and followed this with six wickets, as the Millers destroyed a weak Swanwick side at Swanwick School on Saturday.
Skipper Andrew Bailey's intention was to bat Swanwick out of the game and declare as soon as possible to give his bowlers a chance. With this in mind, Bailey promoted the free scoring Neil Wing to open the innings, alongside Paul Bailey. The move backfired when Wing was caught by John White, off Rich Leam, in the first over of the game.
Thimal joined Bailey and the pair put on a century partnership for the second wicket before Bailey was out leg before to Willie Salt for 46. Meanwhile, Thimal passed his 1,000 runs for the season as he charged to his fifty.
Andrew Bailey joined Thimal and the pair raced along at almost seven an over as they crucified the home attack. Thimal hit 13 fours and a couple of sixes before he finally holed out to Andy Wilson on the long on boundary for 89 to give Leam a second wicket.
This was as far as Swanwick were to get into the Millers batting line-up as Aaron Tullett joined Bailey and Tullett swept and drove his way to 24 before the Langley Mill skipper declared the innings on 247 for 3 with ten overs left. The Millers skipper was unbeaten on 66 at the end.
With 56 overs available to bowl out Swanwick, the Millers were looking for an early breakthrough to net the full 27 points. However, Russell Thompson and Ashley Parker-Bowen had other ideas.
The Swanwick openers raced to a fifty partnership, hitting Dave Farnsworth and Jack Scott to all parts. It wasn't until spin was introduced into the attack that the breakthrough came.
Thimal took the ball at one end while Luke Rowley took over at the other end and the two spinners ripped through the Swanwick batsmen to reduce the hosts from 70 for 0 to 126 all out. Thimal was expensive, his six wickets coming at a cost of 53, but Rowley was at his usual economical best, picking up four wickets for just 11 runs from his eight overs.
Scott held on to three difficult catches as the Millers raced home by 121 runs with 20 overs to spare. Thompson top scored for Swanwick with 45, but only Neale Fretwell with 24 managed to get going.
With second placed Breadsall and dark horses Ashover both losing, coupled with Ilkeston Rutland dropping points to Riddings, the Millers now have an excellent chance of nicking the runners-up spot in the final weekend.
Breadsall remain in second spot with 323 points, but have played one game more. Marehay are third on 312 points, two points ahead of the Millers and ten points clear of Ilkeston Rutland.

It's Salmons again as seconds race to promotion

Langley Mill's second team raced to a comfortable victory against Darley Dale at Station Road on Saturday to secure a place in division seven in 2009.
With two games remaining, the seconds are assured of one of the four promotion places and have a great chance of securing the runners-up spot.
Darley Dale batted first and were soon in trouble to the Millers opening attack of Salmons and Scott Parkin.
Salmons' opening six overs saw him grab the wicket of Pete Denton at a cost of only three runs, while Parkin removed Andrew Hartley without scoring in a seven over opening spell which cost him only six runs.
Grant and Andrew Ball both picked up a wicket apiece to reduce the visitors to 24 for 4, but a mid-order recovery took the vistors to 60 for 4.
It took skipper Rich Davey and the returning Salmons to break through the stubborn Dale batsmen. Davey picked up three for 19 from his four overs and Salmons picked up two more to finish with excellent figures of three for 17 from his twelve overs.
Dale skipper Simon Cotterill top scored with an unbeaten 27 as Dale finished on 123 for 9 from their 46 overs.
In reply, the Millers started badly, losing Ryan Brunelleschi, bowled by Sam Lightfoot in the first over without scoring. However, any hopes that the vistors had of pulling off a surprise victory were firmly dispelled by Oliver Blake and that man Salmons.
The two youngsters batted magnificently to take the Millers to victory after only 22 overs for the loss of just the one wicket.
Blake played a brilliant supporting role, scoring 36, but it was Salmons' day as the 16 year old produced a Flintoff-esque performance with a superb 84.