FARNHAM moved up to fifth in the Surrey Championship Division One table with maximum points at bottom side Walton-on-Thames, although they lost seven wickets in overhauling a modest total of 136.

Tom Grimes won the toss and had no hesitation in inserting Walton. The openers clearly intended to come at Farnham hard, but the breakthrough came after just four balls, Grimes taking an excellent diving catch at backward point off George Osborne to dismiss ‘J P’ Van Aswegen

Thereafter, the innings was dictated by the infamous Walton ‘ridge’ which, as usual, caused variable bounce. Osborne and Ben Ungaretti bowled unchanged for 20 overs in the mid-morning sun.

Ungaretti looked particularly dangerous, bowling a consistent ‘fourth stump’ line that earned him three wickets, caught behind at keeper, first and second slip by Joel Walker, Toby Davies and Ciaran Rooney respectively.

After the hard-hitting Bilal Chohan was fourth man out, having made 37 out of 46 runs, Walton struggled to form partnerships.

The lower middle order accumulated usefully, but no-one went on to a major score and the introduction of Rob Dale and Matt Clarke brought a different sort of pressure.

Young spinner Clarke bowled with good control and was rewarded with the wicket of Bilal Khan for 29, while medium-pacer Dale, returning from injury, settled into a fine spell of seam bowling.

The experienced Dale ruthlessly broke the back of the innings and dismantled the tail to finish with 5-41 from 12.4 overs. Walton were dismissed for 136 in the 45th over.

Farnham wanted to avoid any early hiccups and 23 for the first wicket was a decent start on a testing track. Davies was then caught off first-change Jack Dominy and Walker and Rooney took the score on to 43 before both went in quick succession, leaving a nervy Farnham 48-3.

However, Toby Ward and George Hellyer played their usual fluent game and eased the score up to 90 before Ward fell to a mistimed sweep off Mark Bainbridge.

Hellyer hit six fours and a six and had reached 41 off 54 balls when he was sixth man out at 108.

Farnham still had a bit of work to do and Ungaretti and Clarke batted calmly up to the tea interval before seeing their side home soon after the resumption in the 40th over. Ungaretti, having a good day, finished 25 not out.

Farnham will need to produce something special this Saturday when they entertain Sutton, the unbeaten leaders, at the Park (start 11am).