Lives in Cricket No 15 - Michael Falcon

1931 Michael Falcon had a poor season with the bat, averaging less than 20 with a hard-hit 47 against Surrey II being his best. He did, however, put in a good all-round performance against Kent II enabling Norfolk to win in the only day on which play was possible: he took two for 20 and six for 39 and made 30 and 17 not out as Norfolk won by nine wickets with five minutes to spare. The Eastern Daily Press commented: ‘Falcon bowled … faster than is now expected of him. He put every ounce of energy into his work, and played a big part in the brilliant victory of his side ... he is by no means a spent force as a bowler.’ As it turned out, he took only another 11 wickets all season and this was the penultimate five-wicket haul of his Norfolk career. When the New Zealanders visited Norwich to play Norfolk, Falcon arranged to entertain them by laying on a visit to the Theatre Royal, where there was a performance of E.W.Hornung’s Raffles by the Norwich Repertory Company. About ten of the tourists accompanied their host to the production. 1932 Norfolk had another poor year with the bat and Falcon’s form again petered out after a good start: he made 56 and 64 not out as Lincolnshire were routed in a fixture made notable by Jack Lingwood’s sixteen-wicket return. 49 No more fifties came his way but, in the last match of the season, he played a ‘courageous captain’s innings’ combining well with the sixteen-year-old Bill Edrich, who made his maiden Championship fifty, to delay an innings defeat by Buckinghamshire. His bowling at Minor County level was not well-rewarded, but he had one remarkable success in a club game. Turning out for Great Yarmouth he was almost single-handedly responsible for dismissing his old side, Norwich Wanderers, for 50, conceding only six runs in taking eight wickets. 84 Elder Statesman: 1930-1939 49 His match figures of 16 for 74 are the second best for Norfolk in the Minor Counties Championship, behind only the 16 for 72 returned by slow left-armer Charlie Shore against Durham in 1897.