PETER Hickerton has arrived at the toughest finishing school in world cricket to polish his cricket skills.

The Trowbridge all-rounder, who was the under 17s player of the year in 2003, struggled to find his best form in an inconsistent side last season.

He captured 21 wickets at 16.48, but only scored 116 runs at a mediocre average of 12.89 for Trowbridge with the bat.

So Hickerton, who wants to toughen up his batting and bowling, is spending the next three months during his gap year, as a self funded overseas player for the Melbourne University team before returning for a trial with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

He believes spending a summer playing club cricket in Australia will help to iron out any rough edges.

"It's brilliant to have the opportunity to play for Melbourne University," Hickerton said.

"I e-mailed a local couple who are involved in the recruitment of foreign cricketers in Melbourne to ask for help with accommodation. They have kindly let me stay with them since November.

"I have played in four matches so far and taken about eight wickets but not scored many runs. Last week I took two wickets for 34 runs off 17 overs.

"I am still getting used to the conditions in Melbourne. It is a lot more professional and intense to what I am used to at Trowbridge.

"We train twice a week but if it's raining we go running instead."

Hickerton is playing two-day matches on successive Saturdays until the end of March and hopes to return for a six-month elective as part of his Sports-Science degree course at UWIC in Cardiff.

Before then, his objective is to develop himself into a genuine all-rounder for both Melbourne University and Trowbridge.

"I open the bowling for the University team and bat at number five," Hickerton said.

"One of the reasons I struggled with the bat last summer is that because I was batting up and down the order.

"I am only 19 years old and the experience of playing in Australia and learning from expert coaches has been very important for me. The former Australian Test cricketer Simon Cook is the University bowling coach.

"I would love to come back to Australia for six months in the next year or two."

For now, though, Hickerton is enjoying the chance to turn cricket tradition on its head and become that rare English cricketer who shines in Australia.