Lives in Cricket No 15 - Michael Falcon

taking five wickets in an innings nine times and ten in a match thrice. 13 His team-mates bowled well in support, but it was Falconer who took most of the plaudits. Falcon’s bowling was, however, praised in the press: he bowled at a ‘terrific pace’, at a ‘great pace’ and even at a pace which was ‘rather terrorising’. At this level he was a fast bowler rather than a fast-medium bowler. Before the tourists arrived, Falcon turned out for MCC against Yorkshire. Coming on as the fifth bowler he took five for 16, helping to dismiss Yorkshire for 124. The game was not finished, but The Times stated that he varied his pace intelligently and bowled with considerably more fire than for the University in 1911. The tourists duly visited Norfolk and Falcon was selected for both fixtures. The Australians came to Lakenham in late August to play an ‘England XI’, but the game coincided with the bad weather and 30 Taking Over the Reins at Norfolk: 1911-1914 The Norfolk side of 1912, when the title was held ‘in abeyance’. This was the team for the home fixture against Cambridgeshire in mid-August. Standing (l to r): E.Gibson, H.Watson, C.B.L.Prior (hon sec), R.W.Thurgar (wk), R.F.Popham, G.W.Birkbeck, L.F.Wynne-Wilson, R.Falconer. Seated: E.J.Fulcher, G.A.Stevens, M.Falcon (capt), Rev G.B.Raikes, R.G.Pilch. 13 To this day, this remains the highest number of wickets taken by a Norfolk bowler in a Minor Counties Championship season. Falconer played just seven first-class games, for Northamptonshire between 1907 and 1910, securing nine wickets in all.