Record-breaker Felix, 13, celebrates maiden century in adult cricket league – a few weeks after elder sister Talitha, 15, did exactly the same!

Felix Stanley completed his hundred in a remarkable game that produced at least one Portsmouth & Southsea club record, and quite possibly two.

Stanley and opening partner Mohit Patel shared a staggering unbroken partnership of 276 in a Division 6 South East fixture against Fareham & Crofton 4ths at the Langstone Harbour sports ground on Eastern Road.

At the beginning of June, Talitha Stanley had also celebrated her maiden century - playing for St Cross 1sts in a Hampshire Women’s League fixture against Petersfield. Opening the innings, she retired after reaching three figures off just 78 balls.

Felix and Mohit batted throughout their side’s 40-over allocation after P & S 4ths skipper Matt Wheeler had won the toss and elected to bat.

Stanley reached his century with a single in the last over, ending on 102 not out, while Patel also celebrated a career best score - in his case 160 not out.

Surprisingly, there wasn’t a single six hit in the innings - Patel notching 22 boundaries and Stanley just eight.

Patel didn’t give a chance throughout, while Felix offered just one chance - a catch above his head being grassed by a Fareham fielder standing in the covers when the batter was in the 80s.

Patel’s previous highest score was 62 – the only time in 30 previous league innings for the club he had passed 50 – while Stanley’s previous best was 69 against Clanfield on June 4 this year.

Felix is the youngest Portsmouth & Southsea player ever to reach three figures for the club in an adult league match. The 276-run stand with Patel is also believed to be another club record, for any wicket. It is not known whether Felix is the youngest player to score a century in a Hampshire League game.

In reply, Fareham 4ths were routed for 69 to lose by a huge 207-run margin.

Felix’s older sister - Talitha, like her brother a Springfield School, Drayton, pupil - opened the bowling and bagged 4-16 off eight overs.

Felix had previously scored three half-centuries for P & S in the Hampshire League this season, having made his debut for the 4ths in their final league game of last year.

One of his half-centuries came against Gosport Borough 3rds when he carried his bat for an unbeaten 50 in a team total of 129 all out. The second highest score was just 19.

In all, Felix has now scored 336 runs at 67.20 - making him the second highest runscorer in the Division 6 South East division.

The Stanley siblings’ talent has already been noted in higher places - Felix is part of the Hampshire county under-13s squad and Talitha is on the Southern Vipers junior programme.

P & S’s youth system is certainly productive, as two other 13-year-olds - Henry Ferrett and Henry O’Hara - also took wickets for P & S against Fareham.

Elsewhere, P & S 4ths skipper Matt Wheeler’s 16-year-old son Tom - who made his 4ths debut aged 13 - currently opens the batting for the club’s 2nds. Harrison Etherington (under-16) and Jacob Phillimore (under-15) are regulars in the 3rds.

In addition, former Colts Ben Saunders, Jack Davies, Matt and Tom Benfield and Alex Davidson are all part of the club’s 1st XI that currently top Division 3 of the Southern Premier League, having won all nine league games in 2022 so far.