Rishi Sunak has been accused of “bottling” the chance to throw the first pitch at a US baseball match.
Talks had reportedly taken place about the prime minister - who is in America to see Joe Biden - carrying out the ceremonial duty before a match between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Throwing the first pitch at a baseball match is a huge honour, with former president Barack Obama among the senior politicians who have done it in the past.
But speaking to journalists on his way across the Atlantic, Sunak insisted he “wasn’t actually meant to ever do it”.
“As you guys know, my sport is more cricket than baseball in any case,” Sunak added.
But former Tory chairman Jake Berry told Talk TV: “He bottled it - I bet you he bottled it.
“Political stunts often go wrong. This is one that would be bound to go wrong.”