Fakenham keep tabs on North Runcton at top of Norfolk Alliance Premier Division
Fakenham secured a very narrow three-run victory at Norwich, in a game that ebbed-and-flowed, to keep themselves in the hunt for the league title.
Having elected to bat, Fakenham were rocked by the early dismissals of both in-form openers John Ewart and Keegan Monahan-Fairlie, leaving the visitors reeling at 10-2.
From this point on, Ben Harvey and Luke Caswell played stellar hands to steady the ship, thwart the hosts’ seam bowling attack, and in turn start edging Fakenham towards some form of respectability.
Respectability finally arrived, and was then surpassed as the pair put on an excellent 142 stand before Caswell was out, caught-behind for 71 off 111 deliveries.
The platform was now set for one of Fakenham’s strong middle-order batsmen to come, play freely and score quickly.
Will Dunger was first to try his hand, and had he not have been dropped at slip first ball he may well have failed, but as it was he began to dominate the bowling as he so often does in these situations.
Harvey finally departed for 65 off 106 deliveries to leave Fakenham 185-4 with nine overs to go.
Joined by Lloyd Marshall, Dunger then set about trying to move the score along on a good surface to an insurmountable total.
Five fours and three sixes later, Dunger departed for a brutal 62 from 39 balls while Marshall’s run-a-ball 24 at the other end helped Fakenham finally post 258-6.
Following on from last week’s shoddy bowling and fielding performance Fakenham were hoping for a vast improvement.
Unfortunately whilst the bowling improved, the fielding was below par and at 40-1 off 10, Norwich were well positioned to mount a serious effort.
Buzz Kemp (19) was finally bowled by Lloyd Marshall but this only brought two of Norfolk’s best players to the crease, Chris Borrett and Carl Rogers.
Both moved the score along to 100-2 off 25 overs meaning Norwich required six-an-over, but on a good wicket and quick outfield it was reachable.
The vital breakthrough was eventually made by Toby Hood, who had Rogers (36) caught-behind off his first delivery.
Bowman (9) departed soon after, also to Hood and Fakenham started to believe in themselves.
Jason Blake then made 26 off 26 before David Coyle removed him and at that stage Norwich were 213-5 with eight overs remaining and Borrett still at the crease, closing in on a century, ably assisted by Dunger’s inability to catch the simplest of chances off Coyle’s bowling.
Borrett gave one chance too many, however, and departed for a brilliant 93, caught by Marshall off the bowling of Caswell.
Norwich now required 32 off four overs, but good overs from Ash Layer and Marshall left them needing 18 off the last six balls bowled by Caswell.
When two boundaries arrived off the first three balls, Fakenham were staring at snatching defeat from an almost certain winning position.
But Caswell held his nerve and with a six needed off the last ball he bowled a yorker that could only be hit for two to secure a three-run win.
Tomorrow, Fakenham host Downham, who lost to North Runcton (see Tuesday’s paper) last weekend.
Fakenham 2nds met a very determined Stow 2nds outfit who posted 277-3, thanks to 101 not out from Jack Southgate and 95 not out from Thomas Davey.
Fakenham, despite 81 from Pete Matthews and 30’s from Olly Hall and Sean Fisher, could only reply with 224-6.
The thirds bowled Narborough out for 119 and knocked off the total for the loss of only one wicket to leave them second in Norfolk League 4W.
n Skipper Jasper Payne top-scored with 70 as Swaffham, second from bottom in Division One, posted 233-8 (50 overs) and beat Lowestoft Town by 96 runs. David Annakin took 3-28.
n Promotion-chasing Denver, playing a weakened side, lost to Sprowston 2nds by five wickets in Division Five of the Norfolk Alliance.
The West Norfolk side posted 202-8 and, despite Downham Home and Garden MoM Kev Cornwall picking up three wickets, Sprowston reached their target with five wickets to spare.
Cornwall also hit 34 with the bat in the Denver innings.
