Cup action returned to Highfield Lawn on Sunday when Fakenham hosted Bradfield in the opening round of the Carter Cup.

Fresh from a tie and a loss in their opening league matches, Fakenham were hoping to get the other third of the trio — a win!

The day started bright but windy with Bradfield winning the toss and electing to bat first. Chris Scannell fell lbw to Lloyd Marshall in his opening over and this brought Alex Johnson to the crease and he and Oli Kimber steadied the ship.

A bowling change saw David Coyle replaced by Fakenham captain Will Dunger who proceeded to show what was in the offing with Tom Yarham taking the catch behind the stumps to dismiss Johnson (20) in his first over, leaving the score on 35-2.

Kimber then became the second victim for Dunger in his first over and suddenly Bradfield looked a little shaky, with a wicket with the first ball of Dunger’s second over hardly helping their cause as they found themselves struggling at 37-4 after only 12 of their 60 overs.

Alex Kimber and Pete Murphy added 19 for the next wicket before Kimber was also out to the Yarham/Dunger combination. Murphy only lasted briefly before he too was out, bowled Dunger for one, to leave Bradfield reeling on 61-6.

A touch of sanity returned to the day with the batting of Tom Wylie and James Vann, who batted sensibly and added another 56 runs for the seventh wicket before Wylie was run out by Keegan Monahan Fairlie for 21.

The end of the innings was in sight, with Bradfield eventually all out for 143 after just 41.1 overs, with Dunger taking a 6-19 haul off 7.1 overs.

In reply Billy Yarham was bowled in only the third over but Dunger joined Monahan Fairlie and they added a steady 35 to the total before Monahan Fairlie was caught off the bowling of Wylie for 12, bringing Harry Blackiston to the crease. Good steady batting increased the score to 75-3 before Blackiston was bowled for eight by Scannell. Dunger went one run later, lbw to Johnson for a well-crafted 36. It was left to the young combination of Lloyd Marshall (26no) and wicketkeeper Tom Yarham (42no), both batting with maturity belying their age, to see Fakenham through to a good win in just 32.4 overs.

The victory takes Fakenham through to the quarter-finals on May 28.