Flaks make it a clean sweep at Summer Sports Day

The usual sunshine that basks over the Hacks vs Flaks summer sports day was replaced by moody skies and a biting wind at Dulwich Cricket Club this Saturday, writes FTI Consulting’s stratic comms MD, Edward Berry. But it was the Flaks who shone in the wintry conditions, wrestling both the cricket and rounders titles back off the Flaks, during a brilliant day of sporting action, which saw £10,000 raised for children’s hospice Helen and Douglas House.  

The weather refused to dampen the heat of the battle, as a venomous cricket pitch added to some early fiery exchanges as the Flaks built a robust total of 179, crafted by Skybet’s Adam Smith (37), Carmarco’s Geoffrey Pelham-Lane (26) and a 50 and man of the match performance from former BBC journalist Dominic Lawrie, now of CNC.

On a deteriorating pitch and facing an accurate bowling attack, the Hacks had their backs against the wall from the word go and when Robert Cole (Reuters Breakingviews) fell to a controversial LBW at the hands of Umpire Mihir Bose, you knew it wasn’t going to be their day.

Despite some resistance from the Evening Standard’s Jamie Nimmo (35) the Hacks were skittled out for 110, with FTI’s James Melville-Ross (and HvF founder), proving he’s still got it, by recording an impressive record haul of four wickets for six runs.

Meanwhile, on the rounders pitch, it was a close affair with the Flaks fighting their way to a 16.5 to 15.5 victory. Aggressive play from both sides saw balls being lost left right and centre and it was Andrew Trotman from Microsoft and The Telegraph’s Marion Dakers, who led from the front for the Hacks.

But it was the canny play from Finsbury’s Angharad Khill, scoring freely from pin point placements into surrounding bushes and the athleticism of player of the game Jessica Liebmann, KPMG that tilted the balance.

An enormous thank you to Matthew Craig at Dulwich Cricket Club, all the players involved and in particular to lead sponsors Shore Capital and co-sponsors MS Amlin, CBRE, Finchatton, Rostrum, EY, KPMG, FTI Consulting, Emperor Design and Vismedia for making the day possible.