Young lefthander Stephen Outerbridge made a promising start to his university cricket career in the UK on Saturday when he made 35 against county side Sussex in a three-day match at Hove.

Selected to open the innings for Cardiff University?s Cricket Centre of Excellence first XI, Outerbridge walked out to face none other than former England seamer James Kirtley on a typical early-season English pitch offering considerable sideways movement from the outset.

Rising to the challenge, the Bailey?s Bay allrounder put on 66 for the first wicket with fellow opener Colin Smith ? easily the biggest partnership in his side?s final total of 193 all out in 69.3 overs at the County Ground.

Outerbridge was first out, caught behind by Andrew Hodd off the bowling of Luke Wright ? a dismissal which began a procession as the students struggled to cope with the professional attack.

Though the wicket favoured the quicker men, Sussex?s chief destroyer was former Pakistani legspinner Mushtaq Ahmed (185 Test match wickets) who claimed four for 18 off only 11 overs ? though Outerbridge had been back in the hutch for some time before the Punjabi magician began wreaking havoc.

At stumps last night and with one day still to play, Sussex were 292 for four in reply ? giving them a commanding 99-run lead.

Six British universities ? Cardiff, Durham, Oxford, Cambridge, Loughborough and Leeds ? have specially funded cricketing academies based on their campuses which allow many talented young players, some of who already have county contracts, to pursue a degree while still living the life of a professional cricketer.

It has become customary for these academies ? or UCCE?s as they are often known ? to play two or three games against county sides in mid-April before the County Championship begins at the end of the month.

?It was an absolutely fantastic experience to be out there facing first class bowlers and I felt I played pretty well,? Outerbridge said from the team hotel last night.

?There wasn?t really much swing with the new ball but after the first few overs it started seaming around quite a bit and it was tough. I?ve faced quicker bowlers than Kirtley, though he was still putting the ball in the right areas and making it difficult for me to score.

?To be honest, I felt comfortable out there and I should have gone on to get 50 or more because I had got myself in and done all the hard work.

?The wicket we?re playing on is pretty good though and the ball is coming on nicely, which allowed me to play in a way which I would never get away with in Bermuda.

?I?m really enjoying the whole experience. I absolutely love playing cricket in England and hopefully I?m going to get better and better the more cricket I play over here.?

Provided he retains his place in the side, Outerbridge is set to clash with Bermuda new-boy David Hemp next week when Cardiff UCCE take on Glamorgan in another three-day match at the county?s home ground, Sophia Gardens.

The 22-year-old revealed last night that the game against the Welsh county could also coincide with England fast bowler Simon Jones? return from a knee injury ? sustained on their recently completed tour to India.

And Outerbridge admitted he was relishing the prospect of facing up to a man who was one of the surprise packages of England?s dramatic Ashes triumphs last summer.

?We were in the indoor nets the other day at Sophia Gardens and he was having a little workout in the net next door to us trying out his knee,? he said.

?He was only bowling off a few paces, but he was still pretty rapid and doing a lot with the ball. If he plays next week, it?s certainly going to be interesting facing him, but in a way I hope it does happen because I can only learn from facing somebody of his class.?