KIWI cricketer Paul Rugg will make his debut for Dorchester Cricket Club at Sherborne today - providing he can borrow some whites.

Rugg, who has appeared for Canterbury's first class side in New Zealand, hadn't originally intended playing any Cricket when he came to England recently to join his girlfriend and he left all his gear at home.

But the 26-year-old batsman/ wicketkeeper quickly had a change of heart and Dorchester's bid to win back their Dorset Premier Division place looks set to benefit.

"I had a few problems with my back last season in New Zealand and had to finish off the season in the Canterbury Country Minor Counties team purely as a batsman," said Rugg whose girlfriend is a landscape architect working for a firm in the town.

"I thought a break from cricket might do me good, but I have been given a programme to strengthen it up and it feels a lot better already," he said.

"I want to try and get a job while I am over here and I decided cricket is a good way to meet people and hopefully find some work."

Rugg, who played two first class games for Canterbury in the 2003-4 season and has captained their Minor Counties side for the past five years, said he is willing to turn his hand to anything.

"I'm a qualified cricket coach and I can do one-to-one or team stuff," he said. "But when I was over here four years ago and played in the Cheshire Premier League, I also worked in an office and on a building site, so I'm fairly adaptable."

He reckons his previous experience of English club cricket and English wickets in Cheshire will stand him in good stead in his games for Dorchester.

"It was pretty wet up in Cheshire so I'm used to English conditions," he said. "It's just a case of adjusting your technique.

"So far I've only had one fielding practise session with the rest of the Dorchester team - but they seem a good bunch of lads and I'm looking forward to playing with them.

"I normally open for my club side, bat at four or five in the Minor Counties team back home and went in at seven or eight in the first class side, but I'm happy to slot in wherever Dorchester want me. I won't be keeping wicket for a while and I wouldn't mind trying to bowl a few offies when I'm not behind the stumps."

He said he should be available for most of the season, although he's uncertain about his longer term plans.

"Primarily we are here to travel and see a bit of Europe as well and we've just had a great weekend in Paris," he said. Meanwhile Dorchester skipper Mark Derrien said he couldn't wait to see Rugg in action.

"He's got a great pedigree and I am sure we are in for a treat," he said.