After last week’s poor showing against Cromer, Fakenham were hoping for better with players coming back - although still no professional - but they knew the weather might be the ultimate winner.

Old Buckenham won the toss and had no hesitation in putting Fakenham in to bat on a good-looking dry wicket.

Keegan Monahan-Fairlie opened with Will Dunger against some very tidy bowling and it soon became apparent that runs would be at a premium.

The breakthrough for Old Buckenham came in the sixth over when Dunger was caught for seven. Harry Blackiston joined Monahan-Fairlie and stayed round for 20 minutes before providing more catching practice in his innings of six.

Coach David Coyle was next in and provided a breezy cameo for his 14 before he too popped up another catch. Peter Matthews went leg before for a duck and wicketkeeper James Havers was next to keep Monahan-Fairlie company, spending 40 minutes crafting his 14 before giving the fourth catch of the match.

This brought in Paul Dunger but he was not able to build a partnership as Monahan-Fairlie proceeded to put up the fifth and final catch to be dismissed for a patient 68. With the total 136-6 Tom White joined the elder Dunger and they took the score on to 155-7 before Dunger was out bowled for a patient 26 and the innings ended on 160-8.

The covers were put on as a precaution over the tea interval and they were certainly needed as the first of the showers meant a wait of almost 40 minutes before play could start again.

Openers Matthew Bint and Terry Perry made slow progress against some accurate bowling and good energetic fielding, adding only 49 runs in the 20 overs before Perry was run out by Blackiston for 24.

After another rain break Thurley joined Bint and they added 62 in the next 11 overs before Bint was out lbw to Tom White for 46. Nick Pentz then went cheaply before more rain arrived and the umpires finally call it a day at 7.50pm with the Bucks stranded on 112-3.

It was a frustrating finish but the performance was a definite improvement and Fakenham will hopefully be even more back to strength at the weekend for their visit to Acle (1pm) on Saturday and their Carter Cup game at Swardeston on Sunday (11am).