Lives in Cricket No 15 - Michael Falcon

Buckinghamshire, Walter Franklin, who was a martinet whose desperate will-to-win led him to terrorize young players, Falcon was on extremely friendly terms with his fellow amateurs. David Walker, for instance, was a regular guest at Burlingham House and Tristan Ballance, John Wood and the Rought-Roughts all moved easily in their skipper’s social circles. Nor did being a professional rule a player out from the benefits of Michael Falcon’s pastoral care, as his role in the development of Bill Edrich’ s career showed; he went out of his way to ensure that Bill achieved his ambition to play first-class county cricket, even though Bill’s departure was a great loss to Norfolk cricket. After the Second World War, Falcon was similarly active in introducing Bill’s brothers, Geoff and Eric, to the first-class game. 1930 Norfolk had a poor year in 1930 due to a severe breakdown in the batting. Of the regulars, only Falcon and John Coldham averaged over 20 and the former was most inconsistent. In the season’s opener against Surrey II he became one of the first batsmen to have an innings described as ‘Bradmanesque’, hitting up 120 with three sixes and 18 fours. As usual with a big Falcon innings, his driving on both sides of the wicket was powerful, but he also deployed shots all round the rest of the ground. In the second match, against Kent II, he hit 28 and 72 not out so that his average stood at an impressive 110. Inexplicably he then lost all form, scoring 69 runs in his next ten innings, at which point the Eastern Daily Press tersely announced that he would be unavailable for the two games against Lincolnshire as he was going to Scotland. With the ball Falcon was similarly inconsistent, taking six for 24 and four for 60 in losing causes against Buckinghamshire, but no more than 13 wickets in all. Again, he was the most costly of the regular bowlers as age was beginning to tell. As the local daily commented: ‘The four overs Michael Falcon bowled at The Oval after his fine display of hitting were not sent down at the fast pace formerly associated with the Norfolk captain and he had only one slip.’ In his six-wicket return against Buckinghamshire his pace was merely ‘medium-fast’ and he relied on keeping an excellent length for his wickets. Elder Statesman: 1930-1939 83