Fonthill v Mere: honours even.

There have been three good games against Mere this season. The first was a 20:20 away in which Mere needed four off the last ball to win but only (only!!) managed three, so both teams finished level on 114. The second was another 20:20 at home where FPCC posted 124-3 but Mere overhauled this with balls to spare to finish victorious on 126-6.

The third was a full 35 over game on a blisteringly hot August bank holiday Sunday. Skipper Michael Rawlinson lost the toss but had a good attack at his disposal and manipulated them to good effect. Fonthill bowled with great control and fielded very well taking 4 early wickets for little score and these early breakthroughs were crucial as they put Mere on the back foot. However the visitors recovered well and finished on 145-9 with George Yeo getting a fifty and the wickets being shared around: Peter Catarinella 2-23, Henry Smith 2-20, Tom Wilson (home on leave) with three great yorker balls to get 3-17, Guy Farrand 1-20 and Ferdie Spicer 1-51.

In opening the Fonthill reply, Ed Spicer took advantage of monnlighting Alfie Power’s loose first over with three consecutive boundaries, but wily Alfie then regained control when he made the ball hit the ground and dismissed Spicer with a fantastic off-cutter that clipped middle stump as Spicer shaped to cut. Howard Smith retired hurt with a pulled muscle, to leave the two openers’ respective sons at the crease. These two young cavaliers played the Mere attack with control and restraint and steered Fonthill to a well-deserved 9 wicket win to finish on 146-1, without the big guns of Rawlinson, Wilson and Austin being called upon . The scorecard had a strange symmetry to it: Spicer (Ed) 12, Smith (Howard) 11 ret'd, Spicer (Ferdie) 54 not out, Smith (Henry) 53 not out, with the boys stylishly outscoring their dads.

All three games were played in good humour and with mutual respect, and all three featured young players taking the lead.