Wheal of fortune

My name is Joe Wheal, I am 15 years old and cricket is my life.

I play for Catford & Cyphers, Lewisham, South London and London Schools Cricket Association (LSCA). I got into the London Schools team last winter after scoring 54 for Catford & Cyphers under-14s in a friendly against them.

This season began well with me scoring three fifties in my first six games, including 58 for the 1st XI. I was also keeping wicket really well which surprised me because I had not had much practice standing back to the quicker bowlers throughout the winter.

I then had a downturn with a run of about ten games without a score above 14. I assumed this was down to a fault in my technique and took it upon myself to call up my coach and get a one-to-one session with him. My coach is John Palmer, who won the BBC Sport unsung heroes award in 2007. He has been my coach since I was about nine.

The effects of that were great and in my very next innings I scored 49 which got me back into a bit of form.

I then got a few scores, including 50 and 42, before my London Schools tour to Ampleforth in Yorkshire. I hadn’t originally been picked because I had not been scoring any runs, but I managed to book my place when a team-mate pulled out.

The tour went really well. I scored 82 against Nottinghamshire and 37 against Yorkshire and ended up being London Schools’ highest scorer. I also managed to become friends with a lot of the Essex players including the England Under-17 captain.

After the tour I managed a few scores, including a 25 not out off eight balls and a 68, then a big moment - my maiden century.

I scored 116 against Blackheath Asians - it was a feeling of great relief to score my first hundred and I hope there are many more to come.

Since then I have made a couple of fifties for my club and, as the summer is coming to a close, I can say I have had a good season.