One month gone already! I can't believe how fast the time is going. My weekly schedule is now fairly stable with training sessions every day; seven fitness sessions and two technical sessions. As each week goes by, the fitness work gets harder and more specific to the type of activity that I'll be facing on the upcoming tour.

There are exercises designed to strengthen the throwing arm, increase the power in shot play and sprint drills focused on turning and fielding in the ring. Add to this the Canterbury speed and fielding training - I'm certainly keeping busy!

After the match against Riccarton, I got the opportunity to borrow Haidee's car for the week. Early one morning I drove up into the plains north of Christchurch to take photos of the sunrise over the coast and at the mouth of the Huruni River. Once back in Christchurch there was some bad news... England had put the Aussies into bat in the first Test. That night was spent drinking raspberry and lemonade in our local watching Hayden hit our boys around the park.

Towards the end of the week, I umpired some Milo cricket. This game is aimed at 10 to 11 year olds and is much like the softball pairs cricket that I played as a child. Each school is able to enter a mixed 10-person team into the competition and once local leagues have been decided there are area and province rounds to play in.

Development in general in New Zealand matches that of England, though the sight of Hagley Oval on a Saturday morning where all the kids go to play 'Have a go Cricket' is amazing.

The next club league match was against East Shirley, another home match and this time we elected to field first. East Shirley's batting is their weak point and they once again bowed to some good bowling on quite a good track. After bowling them out for 104, we looked to attack their bowling and had a goal of reaching the total in 25 overs. The game was over in the 22nd over when Maria Fahey (one of the New Zealand Academy players) hit the winning runs. Still top of the league!

Having agreed with the saying that playing golf ruins a good walk, I have lately been convinced to give the game a go. A session at a driving range was the start; this more entertaining for those watching than for me but I sure did get good value for money - on average 1.6 swings per ball hit! After a good showing on the crazy golf circuit it was decided that putting wasn't the problem!

My first real game of golf happened the next weekend down in Queenstown. Our league had no matches scheduled so off we went on a weekend away via the lakes. On Friday I played a round of nine twilight holes with Anna Wilkins (a Riccarton and Northern Districts player) and Owen Harrison (Events Manager for NZ Cricket); all the way round the course I was accompanied by a friendly leprechaun who threw my ball back onto the fairway when it landed in the rough (or even worse on the wrong fairway entirely!) A round of 59 on a par 34 course - perhaps next time will be better.

On Monday I was named in the State Canterbury Magicians squad for the State Insurance League. Excellent news! The squad is training well and we're off on a team-building trip next weekend. Tuesday was fitness test day; 11.2 on the beep test for me and some good sprint times means that the training must be going well.

The third round of club cricket matches starts this weekend - here's hoping that the weather holds out so that we can get some cricket in. After four days of rain pitches are wet and with the threat of more rain, play is doubtful.

© ECB