4 Nov 2015 | Cricket
Glamorgan batsman James Kettleborough is playing his cricket in Australia this winter. After recently celebrating his birthday and starting with a couple of good scores for Eastern Suburbs, Ketts has been enjoying his time in Sydney...
This winter I'm really lucky to be swapping my Welsh winter for an Australian summer in Sydney, playing for Eastern Suburbs. I flew out at the start of last month with my girlfriend and we're here until the end of February. I've been here before and played for the same club and really enjoyed my time so was really keen to come back again, play some good quality cricket and also enjoy Australia and what it has to offer.
Since arriving, we've tried to make a conscious effort to do something each week; it was also my birthday a couple of weeks ago so for that we went on a tour of the SCG and the Allianz football stadium next to it, home to New South Wales Blues and Sydney FC. It was really interesting to get a look round the SCG with all it's tradition and a reputation as one of the nicest grounds in the world. For my birthday my girlfriend also bought me a skydive which was on the following day and it was just the most unreal, amazing experience, as much as I tried to stay cool and keep the nerves under control it was just like nothing else I've done before! Hoping to make most of this trip, we also have visits booked to Bali, Fiji for Christmas, and the Hamilton islands with my mum and her fiancé, at various times which are all really exciting prospects.
On the field, I'm starting in the second grade side but really hoping to move up as soon as possible. I've only played 2 two day games so far in which we've lost one and won one. Personally, I've started alright with scores of 56 and 121* so I'm hopefully not too far from selection in the first grade side in the coming weeks.
Training has been good, the club have helped sort me out with a gym and I've also been training with Wayne Geber, a personal trainer based in Sydney who has trained a variety of high profile athletes along side his group sessions, open to anyone. Getting to the park for 6 in the morning does test me but he's a great trainer and his sessions are incredibly rewarding.
All in all, it's been a great start to my winter and hope it remains so.
James Kettleborough