English cricketer bowled over by Dapto girl and standard of Illawarra comp

This time last year Whitehead was happily playing for the Blackburn North Cricket Club in Victoria but then the Sheffield lad met a girl.

Come April this year the 27-year-old followed his now girlfriend back to her hometown of Horsley so the young nurse could continue her studies at the University of Wollongong.

Whitehead, who now lives just a stone's throw from Reed Park, works as a marketing coordinator at Dapto League Club and plays the sport he loves with the Dapto Cricket Club.

It's been an unexpected journey but Whitehead is more than happy how things have turned out on and off the cricket field.

"I never imagined I'd be playing cricket here and be in a relationship when I moved to Australia last year to play cricket in Melbourne. It's definitely been unexpected but I'm very happy with how things have turned out," he said.

"Things are going really well. Georgia is a nurse, she works in the disability sector and is doing a degree in nursing at UOW.

"We are both in stable jobs and really enjoying it out here, apart from the rain, but I'm sure that's finished."

The wet weather in recent weeks has limited the amount of cricket Whitehead and his Dapto team have been able to play in the Cricket Illawarra one-day competition.

But medium-fast bowler Whitehead has shown in the games he has managed to play, that he is going to be a great asset for the Canaries this season.

Whitehead has already snared 12 wickets at the impressive average of 17.42, with best figures of 6-20.

Nevertheless Whitehead, who played most of his cricket for the Darfield Cricket Club in England, said it was tougher for bowlers in Australia.

"The pitches are harder so it comes on to the bat easier and there's not as much movement off the deck, I don't think," he said.

"But on the flip side it carries through and with my pace, if I dig it in back of a length, it's getting up and causing a bit of trouble for the batsmen, so that's good to see, it gives you confidence that if you put your back into it and you do hit the pitch, it will get through.

'That's good to see, whereas in England it's usually a bit damper and greener and it'll jag about a bit more, so you bring LBW more into the game."

There's no threat that wet weather will derail any games this Saturday but Illawarra cricket players will have to contend with playing in searing heat, with temperatures set to hit 42 degrees.

Whitehead is just happy to be back playing after Dapto's last two scheduled fixtures did not go ahead.

"It's a good standard of cricket and there are good players in the league," he said.

"I think if we keep getting on the pitch we'll have a good season and hopefully make the top four."

Dapto travel to Ziems Park to take on Corrimal on Saturday.

In other round seven fixtures, Keira play Wests Illawarra at Keira Village Park, Port Kembla battle Wollongong at King George V Oval, Balgownie take on IPCC at Judy Masters Oval and Northern Districts play University at Hollymount Oval.