You wouldn?t find too many Bermudians waxing lyrical about a freezing winter abroad in wet and windy Wales ? but young cricketer Stephen Outerbridge certainly isn?t complaining.

Along with Western Stars and Bermuda wicketkeeper Jekon Edness, the 22-year-old is half way through his first year at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC) on a Bermuda Cricket Board scholarship ? and is loving every minute of it.

The duo are studying for degrees in Sport and Exercise Science, while they have also been selected in Cardiff University?s 17-strong Centre of Excellence (UCCE) squad.

The UCCE system has existed in the UK for almost a decade and includes Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Loughborough, Bradford and Cardiff universities.

The scheme allows talented young cricketers ? many of whom are already on county contracts ? to study for a degree while still developing their games at specially-funded academies which offer exposure to expert coaches and first class cricket.

Outerbridge and Edness have spent the winter netting indoors and working intensively on their fitness, and next month they will be hoping for a place in the Cardiff UCCE first XI for three back-to-back first class matches against Gloucestershire, Sussex and David Hemp?s Glamorgan.

The Bailey?s Bay lefthander, who has been back at home for a few days holiday and returns to Cardiff later this week, said yesterday he could not be happier with life across the pond ? even if it is taking some time to adjust to the cold.

?From the moment we got there, everybody has treated really well and helped us to settle in,? he said.

?The first outdoor session I did I was wearing a pair of track pants and a sweat top and I had to spend the rest of the day recovering in front of a heater with virtually all of my clothes on!

?But overall it?s been an unbelievable experience. As far as the cricket is concerned the training is really intense and you get a lot out of it. There is a real emphasis on hard work and commitment and when you are training there is no loafing about.

?It?s all about respecting everybody you are training with and giving 110 percent in whatever you are doing that day ? whether you are in the nets, in the gym or out there doing sprints. It?s the kind of environment where if you work hard enough, you will improve and hopefully I?ll see the results in terms of runs when the season starts.?

Under the supervision of Cardiff UCCE head coach and former Glamorgan cricketer Kevin Lyons, Outerbridge has spent a considerable amount of time adjusting his technique to cope with the swinging ball ? an absolute necessity if he is to prosper early on in the English summer when the wickets and the weather tend to favour the seamers.

As is common with even the best lefthanders, Outerbridge has a tendency to let his head fall away to the offside when the ball shapes back into him from over the wicket ? making lbw or bowled his regular mode of dismissal.

?I like working with Kevin a lot because he is a fairly old fashioned sort of coach who concentrates on making sure that you?re getting the basics right,? he said.

?We?ve been working on staying as upright and playing as straight as possible because when the ball is moving around that will be important. I?ll have to wait and see whether the changes will work.?

Everybody who has been to university knows that it can be difficult striking a balance between work and play ? although Outerbridge insisted both he and Edness have had no problems in that regard.

?To be honest we?ve got a lot of work and training to do so things can get a little stressful at times,? he said.

?So in a way it?s important to make sure that you enjoy yourself as well. All the cricketers go out a couple of nights a week and socialise but we realise that we cannot let that affect our cricket.?

With 11 months to go until Bermuda?s World Cup debut and the search still on for batsmen capable of putting together consistently big scores at an international level, Outerbridge was not afraid to admit that his eye is set squarely on a place in Gus Logie?s final 14-man squad.

Part of the squad which was trounced 5-0 by the United Arab Emirates earlier this year, along with all the other frontline batsman, Outerbridge struggled to impose himself ? scoring a total of only 74 runs (including one knock of 40) in five innings at an average of just under 15.

Despite this however, he is confident that he has the ability to succeed at the highest level.

?Sure I?m desperate to play in the World Cup just like everybody else,? he said. ?I believe I?m good enough and to be honest if I didn?t I?m not sure there would be any point in playing. But I can only control the controllables and it is a matter of scoring runs and leaving it up to the selectors.?