JOSH Bohannon is loving life Down Under – even if he came out on the wrong end of an all-Bolton battle in Sydney grade cricket earlier this month.

The Lancashire all-rounder is spending his first winter away playing for the Randwick Petersham club, where Australia stars David Warner and Usman Khawaja call home.

It has been a successful stay for the ex-Farnworth Social Circle man, despite a minor hiccup... when he was dismissed by fellow Boltonian Matt Parkinson.

Parkinson is playing in the same competition with Gordon CC.

"To be honest, we were in a sticky scenario and were four down quite quickly," Bohannon chuckled.

"So I just thought I'd be positive and take the game to them a bit because they were flying.

"I tried to take Parky on hoping that a few loose balls would come at the other end as well.

"I managed to get one away off him, but he did me in the flight.

"We've had a bit of a chat about it. But, standard Parky, he can talk about anything!"

Bohannon's spell with Randwick was facilitated by Social Circle's Australian overseas Jake Scicuna, who also plays his cricket at the stunning Coogee Oval.

"I'm playing first grade cricket, which is really good and what (assistant coach) Mark Chilton at Lancashire wanted," continued the 20-year-old, who has even captained a handful of limited overs matches.

"I reckon the standard is as close as you'll get to second-team county cricket. It's a lot better than any club cricket at home – even the Liverpool Competition, where I play with Ormskirk.

"Every week you are playing against a state player or someone who has played for Australia.

"It's been a great experience to come here and play on different pitches, bat and bowl against different people and, generally, be out of my comfort zone.

"My stats aren't too bad (just over 500 runs and close to 20 wickets across two-day, 50-over and Twenty20 cricket).

"It can be quite tough to get in any rhythm because first grade two-day matches go Saturday-Saturday. It's very rare that you play Saturday and Sunday.

"I've had an 80-odd not out, 70-odd, 50-odd not out and a 65 not out in a Twenty20.

"When I get in, it seems to be that I'm not getting out, which is good. But it just seems to be that the game ends when I've got in. We've chased the runs or whatever.

"It's been good to face some good pace bowling and cop a bit of stick whilst doing it – them calling me a Pommie here and there!

"I'm batting slightly lower than I would do in Lancashire's seconds, but that's due to Randwick having a really steady top order with Jason Sangha in it, who has just captained Australia at the Under 19s World Cup, and Daniel Sams. He played for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash.

"Sangha's at four, Sams at five, the top three picks itself and I'm at six.

"It would be nice to get an opportunity at three or four, then those fifties and sixties could have been hundreds.

"But you can't expect to bat above lads who have played for their country and at the Big Bash too often.

"Bowling has been tough. I'm a swing bowler, though the ball they use over here is a Turf ball and doesn't really swing.

"It's been a really good challenge for me, bowling stump to stump with straighter fields. I think that will only help me in the future.

"I'm really enjoying it. It's definitely been worthwhile."