FPCC beat Dulwich - despite ringers - after a mixed week

A win today for FPCC. Our friends Dulwich had raised concerns earlier in the week about numbers for this the last day of their tour. Therefore FPCC rallied and provided five players to our opponents to enable a full 11-a-side game. Dulwich won the toss and elected to field. Skipper JP sent in youth to open the batting and Finn, Dan and Thomas did well against some good bowling from Jon Sealy. Jeremy Quarrie and new member James Edworthy (who finished on 90) then built a solid middle order partnership to guide Fonthill to an impressive score pf 232 at tea – the fourth score this season of over 200 runs.

Andy Bazen then took a wicket with the first ball of the Dulwich innings, dismissing the hapless Mikurenda back to the pavilion. This was all the more extraordinary as Bazen himself had been bowled first ball batting for Fonthill, and makes him a contender for the Champagne moment of the season. Jon Sealy proved a constant threat as Dulwich headed towards their target, though he was surprisingly run out for 84 while attempting an ambitious 3. Thanks to some great bowling from both Bazens and Edworthy, FPCC managed to emerge winners despite the best efforts of Dave Roberts to bring Dulwich close but still twenty runs adrift . A good game all round, with some good batting, bowling and fielding, played with great camaraderie and much enjoyed by all. Dulwich have promised to return next year as it is part of their fixture list that they value. Thanks to Vivienne behind the tea counter and all who contributed to getting the ground ready, running the bar and helping to clear up afterwards. Another

good day at The Park.

At the tea interval, Jon Sealy was finally presented with the “Captain’s Award” for 2016 by former Captain Jimmy Street with sincerest apologies for the delay.

This had been a busy week for Fonthill having beaten Chilmark away the previous Sunday with another impressive score of 190 and some very tight bowling. Then there was a convincing defeat by Mere midweek who knocked off FPCC’s respectable-looking 145 with plenty of overs and wickets to spare. Then on Friday the Wiltshire Wallop team travelled to last year’s winners Potterne who currently play in the Premier Two division of the West of England Premier League and watched in awe as their opponents smashed some pretty good bowling around the small “Grove” ground to post an unassailable 364. FPCC responded with credit, achieving a respectable 130-4, against some genuinely quick bowling with Henry Smith scoring fifty.

More cricket next week.

(Thanks to James Parton for words and Rupert Murray and Ben "Aerial" Allen for pictures).