On a beautiful late summer's afternoon, Grace's skipper Bielby brought his "other" side the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to Mill Hill for Grace's last match before their move next season to their new home at Highams Park, where they will enjoy improved facilities and hopefully a better wicket.
The FCO won the toss and invited the home side to bat but disaster struck all too soon, with both openers back in the pavilion with 14 runs on the board. Once again it was the man in form Rishafi who, with help in particular from Newton-Sawyerr and Henderson, took the score to 206 for 9 in their 35 overs. Rishafi completed his first hundred for the club and went on to make 120 before being bowled.
After a cream tea the FCO set about their task but with even less success than Grace's. This time both openers were back in the pavilion for a mere seven runs. Curtis bowled fast and accurately finishing with figures of 2 for 19 in his 7 overs, whilst Fawaz achieved movement in the air and off the pitch, ending with 1 for 23. Acting skipper Shofiq was his usual miserly self taking 2 for 12 from 7 overs and Newton-Sawyerr chipped in with 3 for 18 in 5 overs. Even Grace's skipper Bielby, playing for the FCO, couldn't save his side but he did deny Grace's his wicket as the visitors collapsed to 90 all out with extras the top score.