Christian Pedersen has left Denmark to continue his education in New Zealand where he has been accepted by the Sports Institute of Dunedin on a two year Sporting Performance Course. From Christian’s diary we have received the following report.

I've now been in New Zealand for 2 months. My education starts every morning at nine o'clock with 2 lessons in nutrition and anatomy, followed by a test of physical workout. After the lunch break its sports psychology or training methods followed by a two hour stint of physical workouts. I then have a break until six where I, while the season lasts, join the local cricket club at Taieri for practice. When the season is over in about 2 weeks time I look forward to Sports Specitic Coaching at the Institute in the evening where I will be under the supervision of cricket coaches from Otago Volts. I have heard a lot of positive reactions from others who have done the same. We are only two cricketers in the class, the rest are either rugby players, swimmers, sprinters, gymnasts or triathlons.

The whole setup is very professional. Once a week we get weighed and have our fat content measured and other tests. We have to write a diary every day on our training sessions, what we eat and drink during the day. At the moment we concentrate on standard physical training and strengthening, but later the methods will become more individual according to our sport.

I have played three two day cricket matches and a single one day game with an average of just over 30 with a top score of 49no., but I hope to end the season with a better score. I am a bit wary of not getting enough match practice, but at least I'm on the first team and things should improve. I've had the pleasure of facing New Zealand's U19 profile player Neoma-Barnett and also one of New Zealand's faster bowlers James McMillan. He was quite quick when he was warm but luckily the other bowlers got slower.

It's been a good 2 months down here and look forward to the rest of the time.