If you have been down to the Victor Harbor Croquet Club lately, chances are you would have seen Neil Bonnar out on the court practicing.

That is because Neil is one of 11 Australians chosen to represent his country in the 2008 World Croquet Championships.

The 11th championships will be held in Christchurch, New Zealand from February 2-10.

Neil is looking forward to competing against the best players in the world and said he will give every game his best shot.

"I'm just going to do what I can and not worry about it, the more nervous you are the worse you will play, you just take it as it comes," he said.

It was at last year's Australasian Championships, also held in New Zealand, that Neil first got his foot in the door and got recognition on the index.

In order to be selected for the world championships you must be a minus player on the index and Neil (currently a minus one player) was selected on a wild card entry.

"I'm pretty excited because you are going to be playing the best people in the world and I have only been playing for six years so it's a quick introduction into the world game for me," he said.

"It will be a really, really tight championship".

In the first round, each competitor will play three games every day, then in the second round the games will be the best of three or five and the final will be the best of five.

That could potentially make for nine hours of competition every day which Neil anticipates will be very tiring.

So there won't be much time for socialising with all the players from around the world but that's ok with Neil because for him the trip is more about the competition.

"As soon as that referee blows that whistle it's battle on," he said.

It is British player, Robert Fullford, that Neil said would be the most difficult player he could face but would not shy from the challenge if that is the way the draw happens to fall.

"You have really got to chase the competitions that are available, you can't just really sit and think it's going to happen, you have got to go out and look for it," he said.