Lives in Cricket No 15 - Michael Falcon

hours. The dance organising committee included Michael Falcon, Geoffrey Colman, Walter Beadsmoore and Geoffrey Stevens. This is perhaps the right place to cover a further story illustrating Falcon’s concern for grassroots cricket, though it may have political undertones. In March 1923, it was announced that the MP for East Norfolk was to present a cricket challenge cup for village clubs in the area of his constituency, starting at the commencement of the next cricket season. To be known as the Falcon Cup, this competition took its place alongside the large number of other trophies on offer in Norfolk, most of them organised on a local basis. In the first year of the Falcon Cup the competition was organised in two divisions, the top teams in the two mini-leagues meeting in a final. In one division Martham finished unbeaten, triumphing over Ingham, Horning & District Reserves, Happisburgh and Hoveton Reserves, whilst in the other Langley Park & Loddon were similarly undefeated in a division including Ditchingham, Berg Apton and Haddiscoe. The final was held at the Norwich Union Fire Office Ground and, despite the fact that the wicket was reported as ‘good’, the scores were very low. Langley Park & Loddon batted first and amassed a feeble 36; however, this was comfortably enough as Martham were dismissed for a miserable 28. It had been a good year for Langley Park & Loddon who were only beaten once all season and that was in the final of the Norfolk Junior Cup, where Mattishall proved too strong for them. The match was originally intended for a Saturday, but had to be switched to midweek which meant that Michael Falcon couldn’t be present to give away his own trophy: his wife, Kathleen, stood in for him and handed the cup to Mr A.Bentley, the winning captain. Following the presentation the players and their families were entertained to tea provided at Michael Falcon’s expense. By the next season Falcon was no longer the local MP. However, he showed that the Cup was no cynical, vote-winning device by continuing to support the competition. Unfortunately, the number of clubs participating fell away in the years following 1923 and the format of a single league was adopted. Tables headed ‘Falcon League Cup’ and match results continued to appear sporadically in the local press until the late 1930s. Its history, now forgotten, is an example of the interest Michael Falcon took in local cricket, even at At His Peak: 1919-1929 69