TWO of Ballarat's finest cricketers are giving Aussies a good name on cricket pitches of England, despite what's happening in the Ashes.
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Ryan Aikman and Zec Jenkins have been applying their trade with Tonbridge Cricket Club, leading their team into the semi-finals of the Twenty20 competition.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Aikman, who is hoping for a big summer with Premier club Geelong, has been in some strong form with recent scores of 100 and 84 playing as the team's international.
Jenkins has been hitting the big scores in the second XI due to a rule of only having one international in the regular season. But the pair have been able to join up to lead Tonbridge to the semi-final of the Twenty20 competition.
"We got in contact with them over summer back home through a cricket agency saying to them we would like to play at the same club and experience coming over here together," Aikman said.
"I have been getting a few starts and a couple of big scores got 100 and an 84 and a couple of half centuries in there, but I'm still looking to convert those 30s 40s and 50s into 100s.
"Zac has been going very well with a 95no and a couple of 80s but he'd be looking to convert those scores into 100s as well."
Tonbridge picked up its first 50-over win at the weekend, holding on for an eight-run victory over Canterbury.
"The team hasn't had the best run, we won our first game last week which was a good win but we aren't far off," Aikman said. "The past four games we have lost by small margins to the top four teams and we are pushing really hard to win as many of the last six games we have to push us up the ladder.
"If we win the Twenty20 semi-final, we will play in the grand final this Sunday so fingers crossed we can get the win.
"The T20s are also good because it allows Zac and I to play together," Aikman said.
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Aikman said differing conditions and bowlers were the most challenging to combat.
"The conditions are different, the players are different, there's a lot more slow swing bowlers then quick bowlers back home and also the responsibility of being an overseas player here is a bit more pressure on yourself to do well," he said.
Aikman said he hoped to hit the Premier Cricket season in form as Geelong looks to climb up the ladder.
"I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season at Geelong," he said.
"We are a young group and will be pushing to go deep into the finals. Hopefully there are opportunities there to play at the highest level I can," he said.
Aikman and Jenkins were due to play their Twenty20 semi-final with Tonbridge on Thursday morning, Australian time.
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