A YOUNG cricketer who plays the game despite being unable to use his legs gave an inspirational display at a Bolton cricket club.

Janak Singh, aged 17, suffered from polio as a child, which caused him to lose the use of his legs.

That did not stop him from becoming a cricket ace, however, and he went on to win five gold medals at the Para Games — a precursor to the Paralympics.

After first picking up a cricket bat five years ago, Janak now captains his school team, which is good enough to beat teams of able-bodied players.

Janak visited Bolton Indians Sports Club on Sunday, where he showed off both his batting and bowling skills.

He sits on the ground to bat and bowl, and runs in a crab-like fashion by propelling himself along an all fours. He skittled his first opponent with his first delivery and was slogging balls from the club’s junior and women’s teams all over the indoor nets.

Janak said: “I’m not lesser than anybody else. I can compete with anybody else and in my mind I have no disability.

“There are kids with worse disabilities than me, and if those guys can run around and play sports, why can’t I?”

Janak keeps fit by walking almost a mile on his hands every day.

Sue Buckley, who plays for Bolton Indians in the Lancashire Women’s Cricket League, said Janak was amazing.

She said: “He’s faster than anything we’ve experienced in the league. His technique is very good, and he’s very accurate.”

Team captain, Vicky Dean, said: “To come through the adversity he’s come through and be this good is inspirational.”

Janak’s visit was organised by the charity, Polio Children, which pays for his education at SKSN, a special school in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, in India.

He was joined by two of the school’s other star pupils, 21-year-old Bintu Bain and Sonal Sharma, aged 24.

The charity is trying to raise enough money to send 30 pupils to university.

Mayoor Patel, from the charity, said: “When people see him playing, it’s just sheer inspiration.”

julian.thorpe@theboltonnews.co.uk