One of our former players has died suddenly at the age of 63. Richard Banks joined the club in 1971 and played for 3 seasons making 68 appearances, before moving away and playing his cricket and football for Winscombe.

For F&P he scored 1,700 runs, scored a century each year and topped the averages for 2 out of the 3 seasons. He also took 38 catches and made 15 stumpings and was certainly one of the clubs best players at that time. He leaves a wife Ann and two boys to whom we send our deepest sympathy

F&P's latest match saw Tony Lip marry his 'dancing teacher' Shelley on Sunday at Coombe Lodge in Blagdon. The glorious weather matched the occasion and among the 80 odd guests were Si and Sarah Bach, his brother John and wife Phillipa plus Lyndon and Sheila representing the older brigade.

Also there was Phil Gay who captained the 1st team in 2002/2003 but who has just had one hip replaced at the young age of 41 and will have the other done when fit enough.

The bubbly, wine, G & T's complemented a bucketful of Thatchers Gold when we retired at midnight. A great end to a cracking day was further enhanced with the N.Somerset side winning just their 2nd game under the inspired leadership of Chris Smith. Unfortunately Chris celebrated the occasion by injuring a fetlock and had to retire.

Business End

We really need everyone to start making themselves available and heading up to nets. A big club effort will see a great end of the season but we need to work hard and put in the effort. Like this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPlYe82hD3Q&feature=related

Curry Night

Due to a low response to the curry night on Friday Sam has agreed to postpone the event. We will work out when the next possible date is and we will let everyone know ASAP so that they can book their place.

2nd Team Closing in on Promotion

The 2s notched another win up on Saturday taking them one step closer to promotion. Sam Gunarathne's man of the match performance for Failand secured another victory for the promotion hopefuls. Hampsett started the better and found themselves 102-1 from 22 overs. Hildrew (1-36) and Sam Buckley with one wickets bowled well but it was Gunarathne with 5-36 really ripped through the visitors, helped by some good fielding. Jagath Arachchige also bowled well at the end finishing with 1-7 from his 4 overs to restrict Hampsett to just 175 on a good batting wicket.

In reply, Dave Sherwin (35) and Hildrew (19) started brightly with an opening partnership of 67, but it was Gunarathne and Charlie Jones (18) who's 83 run partnership won Failand the game. Sam's unbeaten 64 included 7 x 4s and 4 huge 6s, and came from just just 37 balls. As well as a fifty and five wickets, Sam prepared a huge tea, assisted by Jagath, which meant a great all round day for the home side.

This victory means that Failand remain one of the favourites to go up, and next week they visit Old Down in a must win top of the table clash - win that and promotion is in their grasp. Thanks to Bob Sheppard and John Skinner who stepped in late to give Failand a full side, and everyone for their efforts.

Failand's Summer Cricket and Beer Festival
We have 8 Home games in 10 days (with two hire games on the spare days) coming up at the end of the month. Plenty of cricket to be played. Paul Bachelor will be getting some new and exciting ales in behind the bar and if the weather stays nice there is sure to be a BBQ or two. Please have a look at the fixtures below, the blue ones are touring games/friendlies and we need players.

Please let us know if you would like to play in any of these games ASAP and we will try and give everyone a game and a good go. If there are any volunteers to run the bar during the touring games or the hire games please let us know. Paul will be coordinating this great event and any queries can be directed his way, paul@outside-edge.co.uk.

With some support from the F&P players we can make this a really good week and a great advertisement for the club and the new ground. So please get your support behind us by volunteering to play, run the bar, the BBQ, umpire or help out with mowing and preparing the ground.


Friday 29th July
F&P over 50s v Nailsea Over 50s (H)

Saturday 30th July
1st XI v Almondsbury (H)

Sunday 31st July
Sunday XI v Bill Owen's XI (H)

Monday 1st August
Midweek XI v Teddington Taureg (H)

Tuesday 2nd August
Midweek XI v New Ash Green (H)

Wednesday 3rd August
Hire Game (H)

Thursday 4th August
Hire Game (H)

Friday 5th August
Midweek XI v University college OB (H)

Saturday 6th August
1st XI v Hampsett (H)

Sunday 7th August
Sunday XI v Taunton St Andrews (H)

Sunday XI v Frampton on Severn

Social Nights

2nd Saturday of the month will be tried as the social night, so keep Saturday June 11th Free. We had 8 people last month so lets try and make a social 11 at least. Most likely it will be Clifton after the Saturday game.

Coaching

The Somerset Cricket Board is running 1-1 Individual Coaching Wednesday evenings in the Summer period between 5-8pm. These sessions take place are held at the Centre of Cricketing Excellence, based at Somerset County Cricket Club. Dates available: 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, 29^th June, 6^th, 13^th July. Email failandcricket@gmail.com for more information.

1st XI Report

Some morning drizzle but heavy rain missed Almondsbury. The visitors’ top 4 did all the hard work against the very tight Armfield 13.4-4-38-0 and Monkar 14-6-42-2 but none could push on. Still, 68 for 2 after 20 overs was a solid base. But, missing 4 regulars, F & P added only another 25 in the next 15 overs losing 6 wickets, making little of May 8-1-23-3 and Mortimore 8-4-11-2. Last man's run out saw the visitors miss their 3rd bowling point. After a first ball run out (Lippe) in their reply, the home side followed a similar pattern to reach 61 for 2 after 20 overs but, as before, the lower middle order collapsed against disciplined bowling including Bell 13-1-34-3 and Gunarathne 13.2-2-42-2, backed by a series of sharp F & P catches. Suddenly Almondsbury were 100 for 8 needing 4.5 an over. But Mortimore 16* with a series of controlled paddles got them home. Kewley 26 was top scorer on either side. A close game but, as last week, F & P just came second.

NS XI Report

North Somerset off the mark with overwhelming win at Harptree. With skipper Steve Pursey taking a very deserved holiday it was left to birthday boy Lyndon Prendergast to lead his troops into battle after four successive defeats. F&P recorded their first win of the season beating their hosts by 60 runs in a low scoring game.

Openers Lyndon and Himansu benefitted from some loose bowling and slack fielding to crack 59 runs by the 13th over. Himansu was the first to go for an attacking 36 with seven fours. A collapse saw 4 wickets fall for only 4 runs. The scoring rate slumped as F&P struggled to 100 for 8. It was left to F&P's own Lib Dem Neil Harrison with 28 to give his side a late burst of scoring as the score reached 129 all out in the 33rd over. Phil Hogarth bowled 8 overs of spin superbly to end with 7 for 24.

After a lovely tea with many varieties of egg sandwiches, it appeared the home side were right on top as they progressed serenely on to 26 before Failand made the breakthrough. Pressure from Failand's fielders saw an amazing collapse as Harptree collapsed to 69 all out in just the 19th over.

Steve Fear bowled with wonderful control to take 4 for 11 from his 8 overs. His son Jamie took 3 for 1 and Harrison capped a good individual display by taking 2 for 7.

Steve will return from holiday refreshed to see a rejunivated side definitely on the up.

Wales Cricket Tour 2010
To see what happened on tour last summer click on the links below:

• 
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DxxMgjdTiE
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzhKf-P9t1o
  
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnkjXyaauww

Raise Money for the Club - Please read this through
In simple terms: Go to this link and make the site your home page on your browser (usually under settings or options): http://google.cricketclubsbristol.co.uk/. Every time you search from this page, money is credited to the Club's account. Every time you click through to online stores like Ebay or John Lewis and make a purchase, money is credited to the Club's account.

Buying Online:
First, please set this link (http://google.cricketclubsbristol.co.uk/) as your home page. Once you have it as your homepage you have helped the club raise money. When you now shop online start from here. Click through to the stores' online pages from the list above, the SHOPPING link (top left) or from the Categories Links on the opposite side of this screen.

Every time you click through to the supplier's page from that link, and make a purchase, the Club is credited with a donation at rates between about 2% and 7% varying supplier to supplier, even going up to 15% for some clothes shops.
So, for example, spend £100 + VAT online with these suppliers and generate these example donations for the Club:

• 
  Amazon offers a 5% donation generating £5.00 for the Club
• Every Ebay purchase generates a varying percentage of price paid for the Club
• Oxfam offers a 10% donation from shop sales generatiing £10.00 for the Club
• NIKE on some services offers a 7% donation generating £7.00 for the Club
• Angels Fancy Dress offers an 11% to 15% donationgenerating £11.00 to £15.00 for the Club
• JJB Sports offers an 8% donation generating £8.00 for the Club
• John Lewis offers a 2% to 7% donation generating £2.00 to £7.00 for the ClubIt is very simple and easy to do, so please set the link to your home page on all your computers: http://google.cricketclubsbristol.co.uk/.
  

Rainbow Weekend

2 washouts on Saturday put an end to a rusty performance from the 1st and 2nd XI. The NS XI played against a strong Bear Flat team and fell short chasing a decent early season total. The Sunday XI played against a BBC XI with Stuart Fowell making 28 and Matthew Kendrick 91*. F&P lost the game but it was a great start to the Sunday friendly season. A giant rainbow appeared over the club during the season. Photographs were taken by the opposition BBC players and kindly sent through to use. See above for the photos or visit www.facebook.com/FandPCC.

Selection and Nets

Please make your availability for the weekend known ASAP. Selection will take place on Tuesday. Lets have another big turn out at nets on Tuesday evening! Please make an effort to look in your diaries and outline the games you can and can't play. Email failandselection@gmail.com with your findings.

Club Night Out

A table has been booked at Zizzi's restaurant in Clifton for after the Saturday games. Currently we have 9 confirmed, would be great to see some of the new players and older players out. Let George Fellowes know if you want to come, George.Fellowes@burges-salmon.com.

Somerset Times - Failand in the News

An article about the ground renovations over the winter from the Somerset Times can be found her: http://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/sport/cricket/big_changes_at_failand_1_856740

Answers

Something unpleasant was found on the outfield on Saturday. Although we are a club based in the countryside it was clear that something foul is afoot. Not for the squeamish but please see the photograph of a Squirrel minus testicles on Facebook. If anyone can explain what has happened here answers would be appreciated.

First Game of the Year

Club Dinner and Awards

The club dinner was a great success with Liam Smith being the most charming, fun and witty. Frankly he was a hoot. The winners of the evenings awards were:

Clubman of the Year: Wendy and Paul Bachelor

Player of the Year: Tom Isom

Batsman of the Year: Hugo Hanchet

Bowler of the Year: Tom Isom

Fielder of the Year: Ed Humphreys

Most Improved: Sid Mistry

Outdoor Nets

6pm this evening at the ground for outdoor nets. Places are up for grabs for this weekend and the 1st and 2nd team opening league games on the 7th and 8th May.

This weekend's games

Saturday v Bristol Indians (H) 1st/2nd XI warm up friendly

Sunday v Blagdon (H) North Somerset League (3rd team)

Saturday Drinks

Why not come to the ground on Saturday afternoon for a drink at the bar? For all of you who are free and have not yet seen the new ground please pop along on Saturday afternoon and say hello while the game is on.

Saturday v Whitchurch

Season opener at the new F & P ground in the blistering April heat. Big total from 45 overs on a lightning August outfield for F & P - century opening stand by Simon Bachelor 38 and Ed Humphreys 85 with Henry Humphreys 60* supported by Dan Chapman 26* and Liam Smith 20 almost getting to 300. In reply, Ian Payter 59 saw Whitchurch off to a blistering start with Stephen Brown 30 but a young side could not sustain the weight of runs needed as Pierre Bell's off-spin 3-20 with Tony Lippe and Tom Isom 2 wickets each worked through the order. Sam Gunarathne's 3 for 1 leg spin finished the match. Both sides had a good work-out ahead of the league season to come.

See http://fpcc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11291095

Fixtures and Selection

If you can say ahead of time which games you are and are not available for that would be really helpful. Please send to your captain or to failandselection@gmail.com. George Fellowes is great at this and if you need to know how to do it please ask him.

There is a midweek game at home on Wednesday 4th May v Henleaze OB, 6.15pm start. Please get your name down now if you would like to play.

Fixtures

Click here to see the 2011 fixtures. https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?hl=en&hl=en&key=0AqndnPo-T0O1dDdtZ1hXWnctRWo4N3pLY2hvT3ZjZnc&output=html

The handbook will be printed and distributed before the start of the season but get a head start now by looking at the fixtures now and letting your skipper know if you are missing any key games. For the games on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th let us know ASAP if you are keen to play.

Sunday 10th - Work Day at the ground
Along with Nat West F&P members will be at the ground to help prepare the club house and the ground for the new season. The press will be there and it's a good chance to get up to Horse Race Lane, break out the guns, a vest and your April tan to put a few hours of much needed work in. Please make an effort to be there and everyone can then head to nets at 5pm up the road.

Sunday Nets - 5pm at the Downs School
Nets are on this Sunday again. If some one can give Rich a lift from Clifton please get in touch. rich@hybridnewsgroup.com

Thursday 21st April - Club Dinner
Please get your replies into Alastair asap. It will be a fun night with some presentations from the 2010 season and a good way to get together to before the start of the new season. Replies to: alastairmcarthur@hotmail.com

Photographs
If there are any photos of the club please send them through.

Club Dinner
Thursday 21st April will be the night of the club dinner. Alastair will be organised the event and he would like to have an idea about numbers ASAP. Please send him an email with 'Yes, I'm in' if you are keen. New players, partners and especially those who have been helping with the development of the ground all winter are all welcome. alastairmcarthur@hotmail.com. Please make an effort to let Alastair know so that he can plan accordingly.

Friday Curry Night

Let Paul Duffy know if you are attending the Friday night curry, this Friday. These have been really good fun in the past and it would be great to get some new and old faces together for a curry and a beer. paul.duffy@bluefingroup.co.uk

Early Season Games - Get these in your diary
Sat 23rd April – Gordano Valley H (All Club)

Sun 24th April – Spye Park H (North Somerset XI and Sunday team)


Sat 30th April – Bristol Indians H (1st XI and 2nd XI squad)

Sun 1st May – North Somerset XI fixture


Wed 4th May – Henleaze OB – H 6pm start


Sat 7th May – Saturday League season starts

Sun 8th May – North Somerset XI A

Sunday 8th May – BBC H (Sunday Friendly)

Work at the Ground
This weekend was a big day at the club. Sunday saw 6 Bachelors, 4 Humphreys, 5 Timlins, 1 Billing, 1 Williams and 5 Dogs all working hard with Liam Smith making a fresh appearance on the Saturday with his girlfriend. Much of the old hedging area is now ready for seeding and 1,984 hedges have now been planted around the perimeter of the ground. See some pictures attached of the work on Sunday, more posted on Facebook and the website.

There is still some raking and moving of stones to do on the Sea-view side and at the far end. Dick, Will and Chris Smith are due up today and Liam Smith tomorrow and Wednesday. Who is with them?

Vienna 2011
Another tournament, another opportunity to bring home the cup lost, but as per usual good fun and lots of beer. Failand looked good at times, but undisciplined and erratic at others. Vienna beat Heronians in the final, and there was no doubt that the two strongest sides contested the final. Failand were probably the third strongest side, but unfortunately a lacklustre first game saw them lose to Lords cc, and a fourth place finish was about right. Starring with the bat were Simon Bachelor and Hugo Hanchet and Duncan Singh was Failand's top bowler.

The tournament was not without controversy as the team Pakistan cc failed to turn up for their game with Failand, despite the fact that a strong victory would have seen them progress to the semis. Failand were offered a potential banana skin replacement game, but skittled out a Seebarn 2nd XI for just 10 runs and knocked the runs off in 1 over.

As usual, drinking beer is part of the Vienna Wintercup experience. Excuses for drinking more beer than ever before can seem somewhat flimsy. Will lost his cloakroom ticket at the Sunday night disco extravaganza, and unfortunately the Failand stragglers had to wait until the club closed at 5.00am to get Wills coat back. By Steve Pursey

Work at the Ground

Please try and get down to the ground over the next few days, today and the weekend. There is much to do at the moment to prepare the new aspects of the ground and the existing area for the new season. Contact humphreys@humphreys.co.uk or call him on 0117 929 2662 to offer some of your spare time. The main working party will be Saturday morning starting at 9am but there will be people there on Sunday morning and during the day today. Liam Smith might be there. Brandon Tool Hire have donated an industrial leaf vacuum cleaner and a massive hole borer for the weekend. This is great news and will assist with the work greatly, however someone will need to drive these things (Do you drive a hole borer?) so please try and get down to help.

Keith Greenidge Visits

Whilst Lyndon finished the strimming Keith (79 years of age) did some raking as he felt a small contribution from him might help. Keith, who has played for years at Failand, throughout Somerset and Barbados, was inspired by the new ground and what has been achieved. He suggested the new name for the ground, Failand Park. Somewhere one could take their family and watch cricket in comfort and with plenty of space. He has also volunteered his Saturday morning to continue with raking despite a bad knee. Where are the club members in their 50's, 40's, 30's and 20's (Liam)?

Club Dinner

Thursday 21st April will be the night of the club dinner. Alastair will be organised the event and he would like to have an idea about numbers ASAP. Please send him an email with 'Yes, I'm in' if you are keen. New players, partners and especially those who have been helping with the development of the ground all winter are helpful. alastairmcarthur@hotmail.com. Please make an effort to let Alastair know so that he can plan accordingly.

Nets on Sunday

Nets at the Downs School on Sunday from 5pm. Please make an effort to get in some pre season nets while they are running. (Liam?)

Liam Smith is Back

Liam has returned after spending the winter in Africa, South East Asia and South America. He has had a great time and has lots of stories and souvenirs.

Be Aware Of Your Personal Insurance Position Playing Cricket

As a Cricket Club we do not provide a Personal Accident Insurance Cover. It is the responsibility of every Player to arrange their own Insurance. Should a player be injured as a result of playing cricket they may be unable to work and may not be paid. The Club will not be able to provide any recompense in such circumstances. The Club will however not be responsible for checking each player has suitable insurance and will expect each Player to make his or her own arrangements.

Up at the Ground

The holeboring/digging and planting of 2,000 mixed hedging plants (hawthorn, blackthorn, field maple, crab apple, guelder rose, spindle and dogwood) goes on with Ed Humphreys having now planted maybe 70% of them. Lyndon and Chris Smith with the Secretary were up there with Ed yesterday and he continues today. Photos attached.

We need a real big turnout tomorrow Saturday at 9.00 am - to get onto finishing the raking and strimming of the low-side field - Lyndon's territory but he needs helpers and to rake the earth where the old hedges came out to remove roots and stones and get ready for immediate rolling and then planting.

A bunch of people (bring a rake and your family) on that job bending their backs would finish it in 3 hours.

This is the call going out for the big push to the finish. Come in from London, Stroud, Newport, WSM, Clevedon, Portishead, Bristol - and there are flights from New Zealand - and bend your back for the club tomorrow Saturday.

A Day in the life of pensioner

• Get up at 6:30am and fetch newspaper (Daily Telegraph) from local store
• Leave house at 7:20am to try and get out of Portishead to play a round of golf at Tracy Park 8:30am

• Arrive at cricket ground 1pm. Notice Ed, Bob H and Chris Smith working away in the near 50mph wind
• Start 'strimming' the new ground to clear way for new grass to grow
• After one hour sit down with other 3 and enjoy 'Humphreys catering' for 15 minutes
• Back to 'Strimming' until 3pm. Leave to keep an appointment in Clevedon

• Return home in time to make wife cup of tea after she has returned from work
• Open newspaper. Managed to read one page of Rugby reports.
• Have shower and get ready for indoor nets at 8pm
• Turn up at the Downs School and meet Colin Brunt plus a few Downs School parents (including Mark Kennedy) who have turned up to share net session
• Wait to 8:15pm and give up as no F&P members turn up

• Leave to race back to Portishead Football Club and play skittles (absolute c---)
• Cannot have a drink as have to drive home at 11pm
• Sit down and have a few drinks whilst reading some of the newspaper purchased 16 hours earlier

THATS WHAT SOME PENSIONERS DO WITH THEIR TIME

I will though have more time next week as I have told the Downs School we will not be using the net sessions booked for Thursday nights. We will be having Sunday nets sessions only at 5pm onwards

Thanks

Lyndon

Nets
There are no nets this Thursday at the Downs School, due to some issues at the school.

Vienna 2011
A F&P 6 were knocked out in the semi finals of the Vienna Indoor Wintercup. Vienna CC eventually beat Fives and Heronians CC from Essex to take the final. More details to come soon.

Curry Night - 25th March
Paul Duffy is arranging a Curry Night on the 25th March. A post Cheltenham and Pre season Curry is just what we need. Meet at the Royal Oak in Clifton for 7pm before heading to the Joyraj for 8pm. If you are interested please contact Paul: dd007p0149@blueyonder.co.uk.

News - Ground Work
Lyndon has managed to use all the wire to hand and has reached half way along the boundary fence at the far end. Many thanks to John B who supplied some top class wire for the rails. Something similar would see Lyndon finish the far boundary fence. There are 12 rails(50 metres) to complete the task but we are in need of two things:

• 10 to 15 metres of 1" chicken wire which would be cut into strips
  
• Does anyone have access to any staples? 500 would do, about a handful. Lyndon has been using a staple gun used to attach wire and cable to wood.

The poor weather has left part of the new ground very sodden with lots of standing water and no chance of any new grass growing. Other areas of new ground have seen the grass starting to grow although lots of the old grass needs to be removed.

Unfortunately David Bird cannot get his mower in to cut due to the weather. However before David comes to cut the grass we will need a small army to go over the new ground picking up small branches, pieces of wood and anything else which will damage mower blades. Please get in touch if you can supply some time and energy.

Indoor Nets
Failand & Portbury Indoor nets start this Sunday 13th at the Downs School, Wraxall from 5pm onwards. Please make an effort to be there and to invite your friends and co workers. We are looking to try and attract some new players to the ground now and it would be great to see some new faces.

Have a look at the Ground
Please head up to the ground when you can and give a hand. Amazing work has been done over the last few weeks at Horse Race Lane. The days of miss hit drives going for 6 are now over. Tickles off the hip going for 4 are lost to history. Take a look at some of the boundary distances below:

Facing away: Straight Hit - 95 Meters
Facing towards the road: Right handed hook - 80 Meters
Facing away: Tom Isom's extra Cover drive - 100 Meters

Club kit
The club kit will arrive and Simon will have it at the ground on Saturday for collection. It is looking like there will be some spare so if you are keen please get in touch ASAP.

Sri Lankan Tea?
If anyone wants top quality BOP leaf tea Sam G is in Sri Lanka. 1kg cost will be £8. The tea is from the tea estate right next to where he is living.