FARNHAM Cricket Club 1st XI, promoted back to Division One of the Surrey Championship, acquitted themselves well after a tough start to the season in the 50/50 limited-overs format.

After struggling against promotion-chasing Spencer and Chipstead, Farnham embarked on a remarkable run in the 120-overs timed matches, securing six excellent victories.

Amongst others, they beat Old Mid-Whitgiftian, Spencer and Banstead, who were promoted. They also recorded a remarkable win against Camberley, bowling them out for 184 having earlier been 170-5 chasing 187.

Wicketkeeper Joel Walker headed the batting stats, scoring over 550 runs, including three fifties and his first hundred for the first team (against Chipstead). Guy Hicks, George Hellyer and Ciaran Rooney all scored more than 250 runs.

Medium-pacers Rob Dale and Rob Goldsworthy led the bowling with 24 wickets apiece, Dale taking his at an average of 19. Mike O’Mahony claimed 17 wickets at an average of 13 and, between the three of them, had four five-wicket hauls for Farnham.

Newly recruited spinner Matt Clarke took 12 wickets and George Osborne picked up 10. Skipper Tom Grimes, Rooney, Ben Ungaretti and Nathan Thorpe all chipped in with valuable scalps.

Farnham also improved in the field, taking chances when they came along and making things happen at times. Guy Hicks held 15 catches, many of them at first slip where he took some one-handed blinders, notably in the match at Spencer. Walker completed a very tidy season behind the stumps with 10 catches and six stumpings.

Farnham finished a creditable sixth in the table and will look to improve on that next season.

Ian Thorpe stepped down and retired from club cricket after 17 seasons as captain of Farnham 2nd XI. The team had a superb season back in the 2nd XI Premier Division and Thorpe leaves with Farnham fifth in the table – their highest ever finish.

They began with a worrying four successive defeats, but the timed games were where Farnham really got stuck in. A last-over win at East Molesey, solid draw with Ashtead, hammering of Valley End and victory over Sunbury gave the side impetus and a mid-table position. Holding on when nine wickets down for vital draws at Normandy and Weybridge showed the side’s resilience and confidence surged, even with the skipper absent for five weeks.

The return to 50/50 saw an impressive double over Sunbury and Normandy were comprehensively beaten at the Park. The double over already relegated Valley End gave Farnham their sixth victory.

Will Davies proved a fine addition to the club, finishing three short of 500 runs at an average of 35, including four fifties. No other batsman topped 250 runs and only four other fifties were recorded, yet the side were competitive in nearly every game.

Alec Goldsworthy was leading wicket-taker with 32 victims at an average of 14. Seamers Marc Lewis (16), George Osborne (12) and Tom Blackburn (10) all did well and, later in the season, spinners Saaj Patel and Chris Terry contributed 20 vital wickets.

The fielding was exceptional and clearly benefitted from the pre-match warm-up routine. The team were fortunate to have the back-up of umpire Dave Goldsworthy, scorer Toni Thorpe and tea-providers Alan and Carol Forward.

Jamie Strachan takes over the reins next season.

Farnham 3rd XI had a brilliant season and were promoted as champions from the Surrey Championship 3rd XI West Division after winning 14 games and losing only three.

Under Dan Jones’ strong captaincy, the younger players continued to improve and show their potential. Consistency, though, was the key word.

Dan Jones scored 421 runs at an average of 38, including a massive 145 against Staines. Pete Goldsworthy totalled 257 runs at an average of 42. Top-order men Ollie Godden, Adam Elstow, Toby Elstow, Matt Crew and Alistair Milton-Seall all made fifties and twice the side closed in on 300.

Farnham bowled opponents out for sub-100 totals five times. Pete Goldsworthy led the way with 31 wickets, including a haul of 7-8 at Camberley. Dan Jones claimed 28 victims, including a 7-40, while Steve Elstow (19), Jamie Jones (12) and Matt White (10) took their wickets at an average of around 10.

Farnham CC Senior Awards:

1st XI: Batting – Joel Walker; Bowling – Rob Dale. 2nd XI: Batting – Will Davies; Bowling – Alec Goldsworthy. 3rd XI: Batting – Ed Milton-Seall; Bowling – Steve Elstow.

Club Fielding Award – Jim Berry. Captains’ Award – Henry Beattie. Performance of the Year – Dan Jones (145 v Whitely Village; 7-40 v Staines & Laleham; captaining the 3rd XI to promotion).