On a glorious sunny day at Highfield Lawn Fakenham beat Downham Stow by five wickets in the Norfolk Alliance Premier Division.
The visitors won the toss and decided to bat but the total had only moved to eight when Finlay Wilcox was caught behind by Steve Gray off the bowling of Oscar Campbell for seven.
William Denny was joined in the middle by Pranav Susarla and between them, they put on a partnership of 80 runs. This was ended when Denny was well caught by man of the match Will Dunger off the bowling of Chris Read for a fine innings of 45.
Benjamin Wilcox soon departed, superbly stumped by Steve Gray off the bowling of Read for nought. The score was now 96-3.
Freddie Fairley joined Susarla in the middle and another fine stand of 52 runs was ended when Fairley was caught by Luke Caswell off the bowling of Campbell for 34. A superb catch by Ben Harvey off the bowling of Campbell saw Susarla depart for an excellent innings of 82 which included four fours and four sixes, taking the score to 165-5.
Patrick Yates joined Oliver Ford and they put on a useful partnership of 46 runs. Yates was next out with the score on 211, caught by Harvey off the bowling of Caswell for 14. Ford’s fine innings came to an end when he was caught at mid-off by Jack Rowley off the bowling of Lloyd Marshall for 43 runs which included three fours and three sixes.
The Downham Stow innings soon ended when George Cook departed, caught by Rowley off the bowling of Caswell for one.
Owen Stacey was caught by John Ewart off the bowling of Caswell for a duck and Addam Todd was adjudged lbw off the bowling of Lloyd Marshall for nine.
The Fakenham bowling attack had done well to contain the Downham Stow innings to 228 all out from 46.4 overs as at one stage it looked likely to be in the region of 300 runs.
Fakenham bowlers: Caswell 3-42 from 10, Campbell 3-33 from eight, Chris Read 2-29 from 10, Marshall 2-31 from 8.4.
In reply, Fakenham got to 29 when John Ewart was bowled by Dan Ward for 13 runs. Steve Gray was out next ball adjudged lbw off the bowling of Ward for nought.
Caswell joined Harvey in the middle and looked in good form but was caught at cover low down by Fairey off the bowling of Ward for 21 runs - the score was now 61-3.
A partnership of 67 runs between Harvey and Dunger was finally ended in the 25th over when Harvey’s fine innings of 42 runs came to an end when he gave an easy catch to Ben Wilcox off the bowling off Todd. His innings included seven fours. At this stage of the match Downham Stow needed to take quick wickets as the home side had a long batting line-up and were scoring quickly.
Harry Bammant joined Dunger in the middle and their partnership of 69 runs took the game away from Downham Stow.
With the total on 197, Bammant was adjudged lbw off the bowling of Owen Stacey for 35 runs which included a massive straight drive for six. Dunger was joined by Andy Lawrence and they comfortably won the game for Fakenham in the 44th over.
Dunger’s fine innings of 78 not out included five fours and two sixes and Lawrence finished on 18 not out which included four fours.
Downham bowlers: Ward 3-45 from 10, Stacey 1-51 from seven, Todd 1-49 from 10.