FOR cricket-mad ten-year-old Charlie Tudball from Minehead, dreams really did come true when he spent Wednesday as the 12th man for Somerset County Cricket Club in their win against Australia. The youngster, who attends Minehead Middle School and plays cricket for Minehead Under 11s and Under 13s and also for the South West Somerset Under 10s, spent the day sitting on the Somerset balcony, had his photograph taken with Graeme Smith and Ricky Ponting at the toss and carried out the drinks duties for the team. Charlie got the opportunity to be 12th man after his dad Stuart, a stalwart member of Minehead Cricket Club since 1975, bought the chance on the Somerset CCC on-line auction site for £205 as a present for his son. "When I saw the chance of being Somerset's 12th man against the Australians on the club's website I decided that I would bid for it for Charlie to give him and the whole family a day to remember," said Stuart. "It was worth every penny and he was really treated very well by everybody at the club." Charlie, pictured with Somerset's Mike Burns and Aussie captain Ricky Ponting, said afterwards: "This has been the best day of my life so far and I will always remember when I was 12th man for Somerset. "I met a lot of well-known players and had my photograph taken with them which I will always keep. "When I grow up I want to become a professional cricketer and play for Somerset." And after Wednesday - when the icing on the cake was Somerset beating the mighty Aussies for only the second time ever - leg spin bowler and batsman Charlie's taste of the big time might well make him even more determined to achieve that ambition. l See Kwinty's Comment on page 6 Photo: Alain Lockyer
