I've mentioned a few times that I support an autistic lad who is cricket mad and today was one of those days when all my efforts pay off. He came on first change, bowled 11 overs straight through and finished with figures of 2-48 which on our small ground is very good. Our batsmen then knocked off the target of 161 with 3-4 overs to spare. Good all around team display and on a personal level, I ended up with 2-31 off 12 overs.
Funny you should mention a story like this because there was a lad on the opposition team that we played yesterday who seemed to have a learning disability of sorts. He fielded 45 overs running fine leg to fine leg, never got a bat because they declared with 1 wicket remaining and to be quite honest - got abused by his own captain when he mis-fielded a ball.
We ended up giving our man of the match to him which resulted in the opposition captain going mental at me because he thought I was taking the p*ss. He couldn't see my theory that we need to be encouraging as many kids as possible to keep playing cricket.
Imagine him going home that night and saying to his Mam & Dad that he got MOM. How proud would he be? Proud enough to turn up next week for them that's for certain. Now imagine him going home and telling his Mam & Dad that he did nothing for 45 overs, never got a bat and was shouted at when he misfielded a ball. Now I know not everyone can get a bat or a bowl most weeks, but if I was his parents, he'd never play for that club again if that's the way they treat their players. Absolute disgrace.
Anyway! Opposition got 223 for 9 (declared) and we put up much more of a fight this week and ended up 214 for 9.
P.S. To top it off one of their lads punched a hole in our dressing room wall! They'll be getting a bill!