IF only all Mail deliveries were as reliable as those of Church's Australian professional.

Greg Mail is the Lancashire League's second highest wicket taker with 19 victims - even though he was brought over primarily for his ability with the bat.

Not that the New South Wales 25-year-old has been restricting his talents to one discipline as he's also averaging 49 runs to make him the league's top all rounder at this early stage of the season.

"At home I'm an opening batsman and bowl a little bit for my club side but it was something I wanted to work on this year," said Mail.

"I've only bowled about 20 first class overs but I've been enjoying it and getting more used to it."

While he has adapted to being a main bowler, one thing Mail hasn't come to terms with as well is the infamous English cricketing climate.

He said: "It's been wet. Nobody managed to get in last weekend and everybody was explaining to me that we have to play at night during the week if we can't get the fixtures in, so I hope it doesn't come to that.

"It does rain in Australia but not as often or for as long as it does here.

"The wicket at Church will be fine if we get some dry weather but at the moment it's a bit slower than I'm used to."

But otherwise Mail has had little trouble settling in during his second spell on these shores.

He added: "I didn't really know what to expect. I've got a friend, Mark Higgs, who was the pro at Church last year so I suppose that is how I ended up here but I didn't really have any pre-conceived ideas about what it was going to be like.

"I've played in England once before in the Liverpool Competition, but that was a few years ago.

"I just thought 'turn up and see how it goes' and things at Church have been great, I'm settling in well.

"We need to make some runs to be honest. We've been a bit hot and cold but we're improving from the first couple of games.

"We played quite well last week against East Lancs, so hopefully we can get some decent weather and get a game this weekend."

Going from the New South Wales Pura Cup-winning side to the paid man at Church has also given Mail reason to adapt.

He was the only uncapped player in the star-studded NSW team that featured Test stars like the Waugh twins, Michael Slater, Michael Bevan and Brett Lee.

So suddenly finding himself the star name in the batting line-up is another new experience for Mail.

He said: "It's something I haven't experienced before, where in an English League so much is expected of the overseas player ,and that's different to me.

"I don't know if it puts any more pressure on you because you still need to do your stuff every time you're on the field, so I'm adjusting to that cultural change."

Church will be looking to go one better than last year when they launch their Worsley Cup campaign at home to Rishton tomorrow.

Last year Church got to the final only to be beaten by Ramsbottom.

On Sunday Church host bottom club Rishton again, this time in the Lancashire League.