Teen says cricket changed his life

“I went from class clown to lifting a cricket trophy on national TV.”

Presley, 17, who took part in BBC’s Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams, described how becoming captain of the cricket team, showed him “the power of sport”.

The teenager from Burnley, added: “Cricket changed my life.”

The programme sees ex-England captain Flintoff cobble together a team of disadvantaged boys from around Manchester.

Presley said he now wanted to help Flintoff by getting the sport on to more school curriculums.

“A few years ago, I was the class clown – bullied, thrown into a bin at school and laughed at” he said.

“I was always told I’d be a comedian or end up on TV, but I never believed it.

“Then I ended up on the BBC’s Field of Dreams with Freddie Flintoff.”

He added: “I went from joking around in class to captaining a team and lifting a trophy on national TV.

“That moment showed me the power of sport – especially for kids like me who don’t always ‘fit in’.”

Presley told BBC Radio Lancashire: “I’m trying to help Freddie with his legacy of getting cricket on to the school curriculum and just to help people with cricket.

“It’s a very expensive sport, the bat’s over £400, you’ve got about £150 worth of protective gear and on top of that you’ve got your training kit.

“With football all you need is boots and a ball.”

But he said while it’s expensive, he still wanted to encourage and hopefully inspire youngsters to have a go at the sport.

“It’s a challenge and I like challenges,” he said.

Since filming the show, Presley has started working with schools like Blessed Trinity in Burnley and is earning his coaching badges.

“I’m on a mission to carry on Freddie’s legacy,” he said, “bringing cricket into schools and helping young people find confidence through sport.

“No matter where you start, you can change your destination.”