Fakenham win play off!

Smith steers Fakenham to survival

02 September 2007

Pictures by Jacob Seed

Michael Smith was the toast of five Norfolk clubs on Saturday after a captain's innings which brought Fakenham a convincing victory in their Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League play-off at Sudbury.
Fakenham had to beat the Two Counties Championship winners to preserve their EAPL status. And they did so by seven wickets thanks to Smith's first century in two seasons as skipper - an unbeaten 120.

That was also good news for Swardeston (runners-up in Alliance Division One, Bradenham (second in Division Two) and Mundford (Division Three), all of whom will be promoted as a result of Fakenham staying up.

It also means a stay of execution for Ashmanhaugh, who finished third from bottom in Division Three and would have gone down if Fakenham had lost.

Fakenham chairman Martin Turner revealed that Smith's perfectly-paced innings was a case of a captain living up to his own words after telling his team they were perfectly capable of bettering Sudbury's total of 271 for nine - even though they would have to get their biggest total of the season to do so.

Smith received impressive support from two 19-year-olds, Ben Harvey (42) and Steven Gray (44 not out).

As a result the team which finished bottom of the table were able to celebrate as if they had won the title.

“This means everything to us,” said Turner. “We were dreading Saturday if we'd lost. As a club we would have carried on - but no player wanted to go back to playing in the Norfolk Alliance. I don't know how many, if any, we'd have lost - but it is a question we would have had to ask after the game. We hope now we can build from here.

More of Jacobs Pictures in the Gallery

Full Scorecard

It's all to play for as Swardeston slip

PHIL BANYARD

16 July 2007

An extraordinary day in the EAPL saw the title race blown wide open as the top two, Swardeston and Bury were both beaten.

Shock result of the day came at Fakenham where the hosts, firmly rooted to the bottom of the table, beat leaders Swardeston by 38 runs.

Batting first, Fakenham shrugged off the trait of losing early wickets as openers Shaun Cooper and Paul Dunger put on 49.

Their prospects did not look so good when skipper Michael Smith fell without scoring, but Stephen Gray held the innings together, making 72 from 118 balls, including seven fours, before being run out.

David Wells contributed a useful 29 in the lower order to help Fakenham to a final total of 212 for eight - the first time this season that they have posted a score above 200 - with two wickets apiece for George Walker and Jaden Hatwell.

There was an early breakthrough in the Swardeston reply as Adam Woodhouse removed Loyala Herathge. Daniel Martin and Rob Newton took the score up to 34, but Ian Slegg then produced a match-winning burst, removing Newton, Hatwell and Richard Sims, while Woodhouse accounted for Martin, leaving the visitors on 50 for five.

Brian Murphy (35) tried to revive Swardeston, but he became Slegg's fourth victim and although Walker made an unbeaten 31, the visitors were all out for 174 in the 44th over.

Godmanchester are now firmly among the title contenders after beating Bury by 102 runs. The result moves Godmanchester above Bury into second, 10 points behind Swardeston.

Great Witchingham are fourth after their 35-run win at home to Cambridge Granta.

James Spelman (58) and skipper Dennis Rogers (50) were the main contributors in Witchingham's total of 181 all out.

Lance Shaw then claimed his customary early breakthroughs, removing Michael Peacock and Mark Bott without a run on the board.

That brought Granta's dangerman, Jacques du Toit, to the crease and he was just getting into his stride when he was trapped lbw by Stuart Evans for 32.

Evans went on to bag four wickets and Shaw also collected four as Granta were bowled out for 146.

Horsford have had their struggles this season, but their home form has been their saviour and their liking for the conditions at Manor Park was in evidence again on Saturday as they beat Clacton by 13 runs.

Horsford batted first and their innings was based around 95 from Sri Lankan Duminda Perera, while the middle order also chipped in, through Matthew Warnes (32) and Chris Brown (28) as Horsford closed on 223 for six.

Clacton struggled to 56 for three before a fourth wicket stand of 78 between Indika De Saram and Martin Smith put them back on track.

When Jim Rice trapped Smith lbw for 34, it became a matter of whether De Saram could single-handedly take Clacton past their target. He came close, hitting 119 before becoming one of four victims for Brown as Clacton were dismissed for 210.

Vauxhall Mallards' resurgence continued and they will not have ruled themselves out of the title race yet after beating Norwich by four wickets at Brundall.

Norwich batted first, but only Ben Patston (35) from the top five batsmen managed to reach double figures. Tom Vaughan (33) provided some stability late in the innings, allowing the visitors to post 143 all out, with Martin Addison claiming three wickets.

Mallards looked to be cruising as openers Carl Amos and Rob Purton put on 52 for the first wicket, before Paul Wiseman and Ashley Watson induced a collapse, leaving the hosts on 65 for five.

They were rescued by Peter Free (29) and Richard Moores (45no) and although Free was given out lbw to Watson, Mallards skipper Paul Bradshaw joined Moores to see their side home in just the 28th over.

Defeat sees Fakenham stranded

PHIL BANYARD

09 July 2007

GIBBS DENLEY EAPL REVIEW

Fakenham's position at the bottom of the table looks ever more perilous after they were beaten by Norwich on Saturday and fellow strugglers Horsford beat Cambridge Granta.

Norwich batted first at Ingham and openers Ben Patston and Felix Flower gave them a solid base with a stand of 30.

All of the Norwich top order made starts, but only skipper Chris Borrett went on to compile a telling score.

He hit 60, before becoming one of five victims for his Fakenham counterpart Michael Smith.

Fakenham would have been reasonably happy having kept Norwich to 148 for seven, only for Ali Horsley (17) and Surappulige Malinga (15) to provide a late boost to the home side's innings.

Norwich were all out for 193 in the 57th over, with Shaun Cooper also picking up three wickets.

Fakenham made a poor start as Malinga removed Paul Dunger and Paul Wiseman bowled Smith to make it 14 for two.

Cooper (20) and Stephen Gray (24) began to recover matters, but Fakenham crucially lacked the big score that Borrett had provided for Norwich.

Malinga (three for 27), Wiseman (three for 51) and Ashley Watson (three for 26) steadily took the Fakenham innings apart and Norwich were always in command of the game. Although number 10 batsman Ben Smart provided some late order resistance by hitting 18, he was the last man out as the visitors were dismissed for 132 to hand Norwich a 61-run win.

Fakenham discover winning formula

PHIL BANYARD (EDP)

28 May 2007

Fakenham finally got it right to move off the bottom of the table with a 42-run victory at Cambridge Granta.

For the first time this season, Fakenham's batsmen managed to support their bowlers, giving them a reasonable total of 196 to work with.

A solid opening stand of 40 between Shaun Cooper (20) and Paul Dunger (39) set the visitors on their way and once again skipper Michael Smith provided the backbone of the innings with 57.

And while most of the lower order failed to contribute, number eight Nick Barry hit a crucial 22 to boost the total.

Spurred on by the batsmen's efforts, Fakenham opening bowlers Ian Slegg and Adam Woodhouse took a wicket each to leave Granta on two for two.

That brought freescoring South African Jacques Du Toit to the crease and he, along with Tom Harvey, quickly turned things around for the home side.

But with the score on 60 and Du Toit having inflicted relatively minor damage with 36, Slegg bowled him to give Fakenham a huge boost.

From there, they never looked back and Smith claimed three wickets to put his side on the verge of victory. A 10th wicket stand of 22 briefly frustrated Fakenham, but Slegg wrapped up proceedings with his fourth wicket as Granta were all out for 154.

In contrast, the winning feeling is something Swardeston have become accustomed to this year and they stay top after a comprehensive eight-wicket victory at home to Godmanchester.

Opening bowlers Michael Eccles and Mark Thomas set things up by blowing away the visitors' top order, reducing them to 38 for five.

Although Godmanchester rallied courtesy of Praneeth Jayasundera's 87, they were all out for 187, with Eccles bagging five wickets and Thomas four.

Swardeston lost Brian Murphy early in their reply, but Loyala Herathge and Richard Sims took the score on to 44 before Herathge was dismissed. That brought Jaden Hatwell in and he continued his outstanding form, hitting his first league century of the season to see Swardeston to victory in the 47th over. Sims was happy to play second fiddle in the onslaught and was unbeaten on 64.

Swardeston remain 25 points clear of Bury, who beat Clacton by eight wickets.

Carl Rogers also notched three figures for the first time in the league this season as Great Witchingham dominated their draw at home to Vauxhall Mallards.

Rogers made an unbeaten 123 in Witchingham's 263 for five, sharing a first wicket stand of 135 with James Spelman (70).

But Rogers' Norfolk opening partner Carl Amos could not match his county colleague's exploits when Mallards batted and he fell lbw to New Zealander Lance Shaw for a duck.

Luke Newton and Rob Frylinck also went cheaply and Mallards then slumped to 33 for five as Shaw and Stuart Evans did the damage.

Mallards' form batsman Peter Free rescued the situation with an unbeaten 70, while Richard Moores made 45 as they closed on 161 for eight, Shaw finishing with five wickets.

Horsford replaced Fakenham at the bottom after their draw at Norwich.

Felix Flower top scored with 53 and there were steady contributions all down the order as Norwich posted 227 for nine, with Chris Brown picking up four wickets.

Norwich were missing injured Sri Lankan paceman Surappulige Malinga, but Paul Wiseman made up for his absence with a couple of early wickets in the Horsford reply.

Jaik Mickleburgh hit back with 28 and Horsford's own Sri Lankan, Duminda Perera, continued to impress with an unbeaten 66 to guide his team to the safety of a draw as they closed on 143 for six.

Fakenham Youth Shine!

Due to the amount of sides that Fakenham had to put out on Sunday 20^th May, David Wells asked me (Ian Seed) to take the Sun 2^nd XI to Gayton… with only 3 adults in the side, one of whom was the Father of a youth player and a non cricketer !

And in keeping with tradition of not winning a toss all season.. we were put in by Gayton… the pitch, to say the least.. had a very irregular bounce.. and most balls shot along the floor…our opening batsmen Jacob Seed (13) and Rob Savoury (16) succumbed to the conditions. Jacob back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers…enter Clive Lonsdale to steady the ship…with a decent 17 …Rob also exited early….as did Toby Hood (15) playing too early giving an easy catch in the covers…Liam Chase (14) at number 5 batted well with Clive to put on a good partnership showing maturity and playing some nice shots, particularly square of the wicket….going on to score a very good 21..So eventually I have to come in and bat! Finding myself in the position of quick runs…not something I am known for! But hell I'll give it a go! A lot of swinging and missing and dropped by the same bowler er..twice.. managed to get to a lucky 34… John Tabor came in and played a Chinese cut for 1 not out…so a target of 124 .

 

I used six bowlers …the eldest 17 all the others were from our youth teams…. Ollie Lonsdale (15) opened and bowled tidily 5-0-16-1 Rob Savoury 5-0-15-1

Toby Hood (15) 5-1-24-1 Danny Galvin (17)  6.4-0-18-3 Mark Croft (12) 4-0-22-0 (although he bowled his first 3 overs for 7.. getting a little tired in his 4^th over) and Nathon Tabor (14) bowled very well 5-1-13-2

 

Mark Croft fielded superbly …off his own bowling ran down the wicket picked the ball up and underarm flicked to strikers end ..running out the batsman..a great piece of fielding at any level of the game.. Ollie Lonsdale diving full length in the covers stopped a certain four which flew off the middle of the bat..

John Tabor throwing himself around was brilliant all day…and he was a non cricketer! Hope you can still move by Wednesday John! Liam Chase made a quick pick up and threw to the wicket keeper Jacob Seed who picked it up from a half volley wide of the stumps and crashed the wicket for another great run out.

We won with 3 overs to spare.. the youth at Fakenham Cricket Club are something to be proud of.. even if the rest of us are struggling!

Will Dunger (12) scores 94!

In fantastic display of batting from a boy who has only just turned 12, Will Dunger blasted 94 runs only succumbing in the last over of the innings trying to achieve that magic 100. Most of his shots were controlled and one cover drive towards the pavilion was sublime. I witnessed this innings and was glad that I did! To see a lad play in an adult game and perform so well was wonderful.

Ian Seed

Coops Return

Shaun Cooper returns to play for Fakenham CC.. this will strengthen the squad and in conjuction with Michael Smith also returning to play for the 2007 season.. hopes are high for success this year