Farnham 1st XI travelled to Oxted looking for their first win in the timed format games, and hoping to build on some improving performances of late.

Under a blameless sky and with the pitch looking good, Farnham’s returning skipper James Berry won the toss and elected to bowl first in the Saturday heat.

To any onlookers the decision might have seen an interesting one, but Berry had faith in his new ball bowlers Goldsworthy and Poole to make inroads into the Oxted line up. The captain was duly rewarded when Goldsworthy bowled Oxted’s captain Murtagh through the gate for 1. Not to be outshone by his opening partner Poole then cleaned up Oxted’s other opener Fletcher for 5 and then also claimed the scalp of Oxted overseas Nick Fletcher - well caught by Russel Golding at slip.

Goldsworthy continued to wreak havoc at the other end, having Miller caught at slip by Thorpe and taking a sharp return catch around his ankles to remove Cutmore.

Skipper Berry brought himself into the action and immediately bowled Ned Lack for 2 to leave Oxted reeling at 43-7. The captain’s call at the coin toss seeming to be a stroke of genius at this point as Farnham eyed a much needed 24 points.

Ben Cooper for Oxted remained obdurate and survived a couple of dropped chances as Farnham started to feel the heat of the day. Berry threw the ball to spinner Thorpe who rewarded his captain by trapping Cameron Read LBW first ball for 9. Oxted looking forlorn at 65-8.

Cooper was then joined by number 10 Ed Thomas and the pair started to chance their arm, throwing willow at almost everything and a number of aerial shots narrowly avoided Farnham fielders. This was combined with another costly drop as the pair put on an energy sapping 61 for the ninth wicket. Berry turned back to Goldsworthy to find the breakthrough, and he delivered as Cooper was caught at cover by Adam Elstow.

Thomas then really opened his shoulders and swung for the fences, as the overs ticked closer to the maximum available 55 - Farnham fielders melting into the bare and lighting quick outfield. He and number 11 Valliant added another 40 before Russ Golding pinned Thomas on the pad for a crucial 63 and Oxted were bowled out for 166 - a world away from where they should have got to. Goldsworthy the pick of the bowlers with 4-32 from his 14 overs.

Thorpe and Strachan opened the batting for Farnham against a revved up Oxted side that knew they had clawed themselves out of the jaws of defeat. The momentum continued to be with them as Aussie overseas quick Nick Fletcher bowled Strachan for nothing as part of a very brisk opening spell. New ball partner Valliant then produced an absolute snorter to Farnham’s number 3 Berry which he edged to slip to go for 1 and Farnham were immediately in trouble at 8-2. At the other end Thorpe looked in good order against the pace of Flether - a couple of gorgeous drives showing that Farnham still had plenty to trouble Oxted. However a combination of a lapse of concentration and a ball that held up in the surface resulted inThorpe being caught for 12 and Farnham 23-3.

As has often been the case this year, the responsibility of rebuilding fell on the shoulders of Tom Flack who again looked calm and composed as he went about his business. Grimes’ stay was relatively brisk as he was caught behind for 7. Golding and Flack combined to tick the score along against the spin Oxted had introduced in Lack and Cutmore, but Golding was adjudged LBW for 7 and Farnham looked adrift at 51-5. Adam Elstow joined Flack and agin the pair began to build a partnership that looked to be going well, before Elstow was bowled by Lack for 14. Poole entered the fray and played some nice shots of the back foot before he nicked off to the returning opener Fletcher for 13. Oxted were now sniffing blood and Fletcher showed his skill set by producing a sharp yorker to remove Temple-Hall for 4 on his 1st XI debut. Flack then eventually fell to Cutmore for a very well made 43 and when Henderson was brilliantly caught by Fletcher the game was over. Oxted players jubilant at their upturn in fortune juxtaposed the dejectedness of the Farnham team.

A tough one to take for Farnham but they have to bounce back next week when they host Bank of England at Farnham Park.