WHAT a first game. Drama, skill and passion were all evident in Little Hulton’s first venture in the GMCL.

The fact it came against an old foe in Darcy Lever added to the occasion rather than diluted it, not least since their captain, Nilesh ‘Nelly’ Patel is one of the great characters of Bolton cricket.

The day started with a text from our opening bowler, Dr Rathbone, to say he wasn’t available.

We had to find another player but, perhaps more importantly, my line about the doctor dissecting the opposition batsmen would have to be put away, to be used another day.

Ellis Pearson, a 16-year-old wicketkeeper, came into the side. He normally bats at 11 in our senior teams, but wanted an opportunity to bat higher. The 1pm start provided an interesting dilemma as, when I arrived at noon, ‘Little Daisy’ were still playing their u13s match against Heaton.

With hard work from our players and the empathy of the umpires we managed to start on time, though we only had 10 players.

Abdul Mulla, who had texted and mithered me all week for a place, was in Walkden town centre, where he works as a ‘security guard’. Finally, at 1.20pm the 20-stone Asian funnyman arrived but I wasn’t laughing, and the painting and sweeping of the wicket at tea was his punishment.

Darcy Lever batted first and, at 138-0 after 15 overs in the heat, my mind was working overtime. But we did manage to restrict them to 202 – a great effort by our mainly part-time bowling attack.

A good start to our reply was required so I sent in the oldest man in the team, our near-50-year-old, Phillip Gaskell, to open with the youngest, 13-year-old Jack Stanley.

But at 50-5 after 20 overs we were struggling. That’s when Ellis and Billy Schofield came together to build a partnership well beyond 100.

Ellis bludgeoned any bad ball with Billy resilient in his usual defensive manner.

Both eventually did get out so it was left to veteran James Platt, who earlier bowled for the first time in 15 years, to get us over the line.

It was a great win and a great atmosphere and we’d put the feel good factor back into the club.