A disabled boy is displaying astonishing ability at cricket -- despite having no arms from the elbow down.
Spin-bowler Kearan Tongue-Gibbs, 11, grips the ball in the fold of his arm before delivering the ball towards the stumps with surprising accuracy.
He was born with no hands or forearms, but has taken to the sport and has been identified as a talented young disabilities player by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Kearan, who uses no artificial aids when batting and bowling, plays alongside able-bodied children at his school and at Astwood Bank Cricket Club in his hometown of Redditch, Worcestershire.
His mother Carrie Gibbs, 29, said: 'He is very passionate about it. He is driven and that is all you need in life to succeed. He has just got better and better.'
His talent was first spotted when he was playing cricket on a beach holiday in Devon four years ago, aged just seven.
 |
 |
| Kearan's mother Carrie says, 'He is driven and that is all you need to succeed' |
According to Ms Gibbs, 'He went away with my mother and brother and played beach cricket, because at the time my brother played for his university. He said, "He has really got something, he has got ability and you need to tweak it."'
Kearan then started playing after school and did trials with his local team, who soon recognised his potential. Now he regularly attends special training sessions for cricketers with disabilities at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham.
Kearan lists England batsmen Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott, who hit a half-century against India at Lord's on Thursday, among his cricketing heroes. His ambition is to get to the top of his game and join the national team. But his ability has come at a price to his mother, who added: 'I have had pictures broken, mirrors broken, balls thrown at my head -- you name it, I have had a ball hit it.'
Mike Harris, of Astwood Bank Cricket Club, praised the youngster. He said: 'The guy is really talented. He has natural ability for cricket and the disability he has doesn't really come into it. 'Bowling is an immense achievement for him. Just holding the ball with such a small amount of body, touching the ball with just a small bit of flesh to grab is really a huge challenge for the release of the ball and to get the accuracy is something I can't really understand how he does.' Sports fan Kearan, who also enjoys watching golf and tennis, can now play throughout the school holidays after a charity installed cricket nets in his garden.
© Daily Mail, London |
E-mail
