EVEN Richard Piesley’s parents thought he’d been dreaming when the young Kent rookie emerged bleary-eyed from his bedroom to tell them he was playing for Kent the next morning.

The 18-year-old Sittingbourne cricketer had just taken a mobile phone call from Kent coach Paul Farbrace telling him to pack his kit and get to Canterbury for Saturday morning.

The Gore Court gloveman had been called up as substitute for Niall O’Brien, who had been hospitalised with concussion after a blow on the head during Kent’s championship clash with Northamptonshire.

Piesley said: “I’d been away playing for the 2nds in Essex and had gone to bed early to catch up on some sleep when ‘Farby’ rang to tell me ‘you’re playing tomorrow'.

“I went downstairs and told mum and dad and they didn’t believe me at first, but in the end they were just as excited as me because it’s what I’ve always wanted to do.

In a way it was a good thing it was such late notice because had I had three of four days notice I might have got nervous thinking about my debut. As it was, I knew all the boys and just turned up and took it from there.”

Piesley went on to keep with distinction, his soft glovework was generally assured and his first catch in Kent colours proved a remarkable one - even though it went down in the scorebook as caught sub.

Running 20 yards toward long-leg following a top-edged hook by Graeme Swann, Piesley dived full-length to come up with the ball in his right glove.

“I had to wait until six wickets down into their second innings for my first catch but I’d guess you’d say it was worth the wait. I had to back myself to catch it. And though Amjad Khan was coming in from long leg I had the gloves on and I had to go for it.

“It was a great feeling, especially getting one like for my first catch. I really enjoyed the whole experience, I’ve wanted to test my wicketkeeping at this level and I really do feel I can do it now. I just can’t wait for another chance.”

Piesley conceded he found the spin bowling of Min Patel into leg-stump rough the hardest of Kent attack to keep to, but he too was pleased with his sharp glovework.

“I missed half a stumping chance off Jeff Cook, who got a hundred, it was one that jumped out of the rough. It’s quite tough out of there and people who know about keeping will know what I mean.

“The ball can shoot along the floor or go over your head from the rough on some occasions, so its best you forget those things instantly and think about the next ball.”

Now his academy year is over Piesley will wrap up his season with Kent League side Gore Court and then head off for a winter stint in Australia.

“I’m not sure if it’ll be in Melbourne or Adelaide yet, we’re still finalising that, but it’ll be a winter of tough grade cricket and then hopefully come back and earn a Kent contract.

“The Academy’s helped me with life management and I’ve learned a lot about organising myself and I’ll take that with me to Australia. I’m going to work really hard on my fitness and my batting in the main, and just keep doing what I’ve been doing so far with the gloves.”

And if his ‘dream’ debut was anything to go by, that level of glovework will suit Kent just fine.