ELLIOT Hill will head Down Under later this month knowing he has at least two players signed, sealed and delivered for Purton’s 2014 WEPL Wiltshire Division campaign.

The skipper is jetting out to Australia to take in the Perth and Melbourne Tests with fellow local cricketer and Goatacre seamer George Rigali, leaving him little time to convince players to join Purton before next year.

However, Hill has already worked his magic in recruiting outswinger Tom Fullalove from Cirencester while Sam Pinchin has come in from Swindon in a bid to monopolise the wicketkeeper position.

Purton are in final negotiations to bring back batting sensation Akki Gomel following his stellar campaign in the championship-winning Wiltshire League Division 1 season this year, but for now Hill is more than content with the club’s first two signings.

On Fullalove, the captain said: “He’s got the opportunity to show what he’s capable of on the field but I know how poor his banter is off it.

“He classes himself as an outswinging bowler and he would probably tell you he can bat and field a bit as well, and if he does that then it will be a bonus.

“He will give the likes of Aaron Lee something to think about and if he can add another strike option to our attack then that will be great.”

Pinchin had few chances to impress in the role of wicketkeeper at Swindon last season with Andrew Staff making that position his own, but Hill said the ex-County Ground man would have the opportunity to shine.

“He’s looking for an opportunity to establish himself at a club, he wants to learn and wicketkeeper is a position we’ve had trouble with over the past few years,” revealed Hill.

“We’ve had people playing there who don’t particularly enjoy it, so there’s a great opportunity for him to come aboard.”

Hill’s jaunt to the Southern Hemisphere is made easier by the fact he can stay with Rigali in Perth, given that the latter is based in Australia for the winter.

The pair will take in events at the WACA before sacrificing part of Christmas Day to make the journey to Melbourne for the fourth Test.

“We’ll be travelling to Melbourne on Christmas Day which will be a good laugh, and we’ll be in the MCG with 98,000 other people,” said Hill.

“It’s a five-hour flight and we land at 6am on Boxing Day, which will be an interesting experience for my body to go through.

“This is the first time I’ve been to Australia before and I’ve only ever watched one-day cricket, so I’m looking forward to it.

“I remember watching Kevin Pietersen hitting 90-odd to help us win a one-dayer in Bristol when I was about 15, which was pretty special, but I’ve never seen a Test match.”