Sean Park enjoying a new lease of life with Unicorns

South African cricketer Park made his Unicorns' debut against Glamorgan at Bournemouth in May

By Henry Milward
BBC Blast Sport reporter

For someone who has swapped the beaches of the Indian Ocean for the cricket squares in Clacton-on-Sea, Sean Park seems remarkably content.

The 30-year-old is approaching the end of his 10th year in Cambridgeshire cricket, and is playing at his highest level yet.

Park had only planned on staying in England for a summer, but a decade on, he's making the most of a season in the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition, with the ECB Unicorns.

He told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "I just came over for the experience, going over to a new country, new surroundings to see what it was all about. I never expected to get to where I am now in the UK.

"I thought I would go back to South Africa, do some studying, find a job and enjoy the days out on the beach, but it's been the opposite - I came back here, loved it the first time and never looked back."

SEAN PARK FACT FILE Full name: Sean Michael Park Born: April 24, 1980 Place of birth: Umtata, South Africa Batting: Right-hand bat Bowling: Right-arm medium-fast Unicorns batting average: 10.33 (eight matches) Highest score: 21 Unicorns debut: v Glamorgan at Bournemouth, May 16, 2010

The South African arrived in the country as a 20-year-old, joining Cambridge Granta Cricket Club in the East Anglian Premier League. He is still there now, and has also regularly turned out for Cambridgeshire in the Minor Counties Championship.

The all-rounder comes from handy sporting stock too. Younger brother Craig is a team-mate at Granta, while fellow sibling Garry, 27, has been a regular on the first-class county circuit since 2006, and now represents Derbyshire.

Quite happy playing club cricket, while coaching at a local independent school, Park's cricketing career was given an unexpected boost in the spring when the England and Wales Cricket Board announced the formation of a new side - the Unicorns.

"They advertised it, had a whole lot of trials over a period of about two months and fortunately enough I got picked in the squad of 22," said Park.

The team - a mishmash of up-and-coming youngsters and older ex-pros on the lookout for a new county - have been competing in the 40-over competition in the same group as Surrey, Lancashire and Somerset and have more than held their own.

A record-breaking run chase against Sussex in May was a particular highpoint. Set a target of 325, Park hit the winning runs with three balls to spare to hand the team of unpaid club cricketers and county hopefuls a memorable victory.

If for some reason one of the big sides wants me to play a game, I'll jump in with two feet Sean Park

Such successes have put the Unicorns players in the shop window, with Wes Durston snapped up mid-season by Derbyshire. But for Park, the experience of top-level competition is reward enough.

He said: "A lot of the younger guys are looking at that sort of avenue and quite a lot of them have already done well. But I'm just enjoying the cricket really. I'm not hoping to jump into another first-class side because I'm probably not good enough at the moment.

"I'm using it as great experience, it's great fun playing against the big boys.

"I just love the challenges and the new experiences cricket brings as you move up the levels. But if, for some miracle reason, one of the big sides wants me to play a game, I'll jump in with two feet. I still feel a young pup, so I'll keep going."

And with the Unicorns set to compete in the 40-over competition next summer too, Park sees his future at the grounds of Colwyn Bay, Wales and not back in Richard's Bay, South Africa.

The Unicorns completed their inaugural season on 30 August.