Chairman Eric Tracey's International Invitation XII in shock defeat by FPCC

On Saturday 30 June Chairman Eric Tracey's star-studded International Invitation XII posted a gargantuan 225 off their 35 overs with Goodenough College's Soofi scoring 81 and Michael Rawlinson an unbeaten 101 not out with plenty of sixes against a healthily varied Fonthill bowling attack.

Undaunted, Fonthill stand-in skipper Mark Mikurenda deputising for James Parton who was busy moving house, confidently sent in Andy Bazen and Rupert Murray with instructions to score a lot of runs and not get out. Faced with an attack containing no less than three Powers, Bazen scored a busy 31, before handing over to Ashley Major and Chris Dean to support Murray with quick twos and threes as he stroked and bludgeoned the ball to the boundary in an innings of great craft in stifling heat. Fonthill overtook the Chairman's total with an over to spare, with Murray finishing on 123 not out, FPCC's first ton of the season.

Eric Tracey, in presenting the trophy ( a hand-engraved miniature bat signed by Darren Gough) announced, having opened both the batting and the bowling, that this was the ante-penultinate day of his seventh decade, and acknowledged with mixed feelings that he was now 12-10 down in the series. On behalf of the Club, Mark Mikurenda thanked him for providing the very enjoyable barbecue supper and paid tribute to the day's two centurions, on what was probably the hottest and longest game of the summer so far, with over 450 runs scored.

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