Rishi Sunak bowled out by a child at the Oval

In recent weeks he has been bruised by dire polling and mutinous backbench chatter.

And Rishi Sunak on Friday suffered a blow to his sporting pride as he was bowled out by a child while turning his hand to cricket.

The prime minister was left red-faced when he attempted a drive during a practice session at the Oval – but missed the ball.

Mr Sunak laughed and walked over to shake the child’s hand after he was bowled out, patting him on the shoulder as he congratulated him. “Well done, you,” he said, as those watching on cheered loudly.

The Prime Minister went on to speak to other children about cricket, telling one: “Do you know what, I come here to do [practice in the] nets in the evenings, secretly. I come and use the set on the end of the corner, so I was actually here earlier this week. It was quite fun.”

He was visiting the south London cricket ground to meet participants in Surrey County Cricket Club’s Ace Schools Programme, which provides free training sessions to state school pupils aged nine to 13.

Its aim is to increase the number of black British professional cricketers.

The Prime Minister announced £35 million of investment into grassroots cricket on Friday.

Mr Sunak is a big fan of cricket and first watched it when he went to Southampton’s County Ground to watch Hampshire play.