KEITH PEEL Football fever has helped earn Matthew Parkin a coveted accolade. The 15-year-old started the season playing for Hales Colts in Division 10 of the Knights Norfolk League.

KEITH PEEL

Football fever has helped earn Matthew Parkin a coveted accolade. The 15-year-old started the season playing for Hales Colts in Division 10 of the Knights Norfolk League.

But he was offered a first team game when other players called off to watch England in the World Cup - and has never looked back.

After claiming 20 wickets for 104 runs in July, he has been named the league's player of the month.

Parkin, whose wickets included match-winning hauls of five for 18 against Old Catton and six for 21 against Diss A, received his award from league sponsor Tim Knight.

There were again a number of other impressive nominations, including Gary Baker of Great Witchingham A, who scored a total of 368 runs in the month; John White of Yarmouth, who took 12 for 128; Richard Ellis of Hethersett & Tas Valley, who hit 102 and 97 not out; and Thomas York of Bungay, who made 277 runs and took 11 wickets.

The list also included Gary Tuttle of Kirkley Sports, who scored 253 runs and bagged 11 wickets; Tom Watson of Ashmanhaugh, who hit 189 not out; Peter Keogh of Vauxhall Mallards, who had scores of 64 and 96; Dominic Straw of Vauxhall Mallards, who took 13 wickets, including a six for 15 haul; Steve Remmington of Old Catton B, who took 19 wickets at an average of 7.95; Tim Sims of Caister, whose 150 was his maiden century; and Keith Hunt of St Andrews, whose scores included 50 not out, 80 and 56.