A THRILLING win at local rivals Camberley was deserved reward for Farnham’s team spirit and refusal to give up the fight.

With a weakened team, Farnham were defending a modest total of 187, but they battled through to win by three runs and this first victory of the season lifts them them out of the Surrey Championship Division One relegation zone.

Farnham were without skipper Tom Grimes, while vice-captain Ciaran Rooney arrived back from the States only in time to play for the 2nd XI.

Stand-in captain Nathan Thorpe followed the pattern of losing the toss and Farnham were inserted on a slow, green track. Guy Hicks lasted just one ball – bowled by Max Carter – but Joel Walker and Thorpe saw off the new ball with a vital stand of 72.

However, both went in quick succession – Walker run out for 42 – and with George Hellyer quickly bowled by James Day, the visitors were 85-4 at lunch.

Toby Davies looked in good touch before getting a rip-snorter of a delivery from Day and Farnham were teetering at 99-5.

Jim Berry and Ben Ungaretti started to rebuild. Berry took the attack to the spinners, while Ungaretti knocked the ball into gaps and rotated the strike.

When Berry was caught for 18, leaving Farnham 143-6, Ungaretti started to force the pace as wickets tumbled around him and was finally caught in the deep for an important 46 from 78 balls.

Rob Dale launched his third ball over long-off for six and flicked the next ball for four, but then ran out Rob Goldsworthy and Farnham were dismissed for 187 in the 64th over. Leg-spinner Warren Ekstraal took 2-51 from a marathon 21 overs.

The total seemed 40 to 50 runs light of a competitive score, but Farnham carried some momentum and although Camberley came out with their usual game-plan – go hard at the new ball – they had early setbacks as Rob Goldsworthy trapped Todd Hutcheson in front and then bowled the dangerous Ekstraal for a quickfire 29 off 22 balls.

At 33-2, Day and captain Max Shoveller came together and moved the score rapidly to 80, with Shoveller striking the ball very powerfully.

Off-spinner Thorpe then brought himself on to bowl in tandem with Dale. The ploy worked. Thorpe had Shoveller caught behind for 35 (21 balls) and Dale quickly removed Dominic Peter to leave Camberley a precarious 87-4.

A partnership of 57 between Meshkath Sayed and Day looked to have all but put the game to bed, but Thorpe again rung the changes and left-arm spinner Chris Terry got the breakthrough – Sayed caught and bowled for 19.

At 144-5, with Day still there, Camberley were still in pole position, although, curiously, all remaining batsman down to 11 had their pads on, perhaps betraying some nervousness and a long tail.

Day and Sam Holmes calmed those nerves by taking the score to 170, with Day reaching his half-century. With just 18 needed, things changed again as Thorpe bowled Holmes and Paul Stephens. Camberley, jittery again, were 178-7.

Former Headley player Matt Clarke, on his first-team debut, bowled his off-spin with impressive control and held a superb return catch to remove Sam Rimmington. And it was Clarke who claimed the prize scalp when he deceived Day in the flight and had him stumped by Walker for 65.

Camberley, 180-9, were almost there, but the loss of Day had taken the wind out of their sails. A fired-up Farnham sensed they would get one chance to snatch victory and it came in the 47th over.

James Reeves edged past slip and charged off down the track, but Hicks had dived to recover the ball and Reeves, scrambling to get back, just failed to make his ground as the stumps were broken. Cue wild celebrations from Farnham.

Thorpe finished with 3-47 from 16.4 overs and Clarke chipped in with a crucial 2-19 in five, Goldsworthy having made the early breakthrough with his 2-43 in 10

A morale-boosting result for Farnham ahead of their home match against third-placed Banstead this week.

Farnham III closed the gap on 3rd XI West Div leaders Chertsey III by beating them at Hale Rec. Former golf pro Matt Crew was the difference between the sides. Playing his final game for Farnham, Crew blasted a run-a-ball 59, including six sixes. Farnham clinched a 28-run win in the last over. Farnham 163; Chertsey 135.