It's not cricket weather here - but it is for Chichester star Bennison

He has joined the Cardiff-Boolaroo District Cricket Club (the CBs), who play in the Newcastle Grade Competition. They are located around 90 minutes north of Sydney and Bennison has made a steady start from four one-day games at first-grade level, with a big score just around the corner.

Two intensive training sessions per week, and weekend cricket involving 90 overs per day are sure to add to his cricketing experience on hard pitches and in high temperatures, often in the mid 30s.

Bennison is staying with former CPPCC player Paul Hillier, whose son Nathan toured the UK last summer with the NSW Combined High Schools U19 team and also represents to CBs first-grade team as an opening bowler.

The CBs have also been home to former CPPCC players David Willis, Brett Hawgood and Mick Corrigan.

It’s not all been hard work – Bennison has been catching up with former CPPCC player and now Australian star Ashton Turner. Turner played for CPPCC in 2013 and has since risen to play ODI and T20 games as a batsman for Australia as well as captaining Western Australia in Shield Cricket, and taking up lucrative contracts in both the BBL (Perth Scorchers) and IPL (Rajasthan Royals, with the likes of Jofra Archer).

Turner was captaining WA against a star-studded home NSW side that included Steve Smith and a full Test bowling attack at the SCG.

Along with another well-known Sussex cricket figure, John Ashworth (Sussex Martlets), Bennison shared a beer with Turner. Pictured are John, Ashton and Matt