Three Bridges Cricket Club's overseas star makes an instant impact in Sussex Cricket League

The 23-year-old New Zealander has made an instant impact for Bridges in three different competitions so far.

He took wickets in the T20 Cup in the win over Haywards Heath, scored 88 against against Eastbourne in the National Cup and on Saturday took 5-24 and hit 56 not out as they completed their first league win - and game - of the season over Hastings.

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O’Donnell came to England in great form after scoring piles of runs for Auckland in the New Zealand summer - including his maiden first-class hundred.

Speaking to the Crawley Observer, O’Donnell said: “I am happy to get a few runs and some wickets under the belt and continue some form from the NZ summer over here.

“The weather has been really frustrating but the lads have won when we have had the chance so that’s all we can focus on.”

Bridges won promotion back to the Premier Divison in 2018 and in their first season back in the top flight came third. And now they will be looking to build on that - and O’Donnell believes they have the talent to do well.

He said: “We have a super young side with a lot of talented players, so each game is a great learning opportunity for the lads.

“I am just trying to take it one game at a time and hopefully continue to put in match winning performances that help us climb the league table.”

And there is only one thing the Kiwi is hoping to do this year.

“Ambitions for the season is to again win games of cricket,” he said:

“Whether that be with bat ball or in the field. Again each game over here is a new learning experience and requires different skills, so excited to challenge my skills and hopefully improve them throughout the summer.”

This is not O’Donnell’s first time in England after previous spending time with Norwich CC in the EAPL - so he knows what to expect from English conditions.

He said: “ Conditions over here have been challenging so far with how wet it’s been, but can be similar to early season in NZ. But again good challenges to have as it makes you work a lot harder for your runs as a batter.”