Farnham defeated North Maidenhead in the National Knockout on Sunday to salvage some pride after their embarrassing defeat of the day before.

The Thames Valley League (Div IIB) side managed to fend off Farnham's pace attack as Paddy Murphy stuggled to find any sort of rhythm.

Shaw and Carter settled down and scored freely until off-spinner Robert Smith and Chic Stedman began to bowl in tandem.

The run-rate slowed and, in the 15th over, Stedman trapped Shaw leg before. Carter soon followed, also lbw to the veteran seamer, having made a good 43.

Smith and Stedman both bowled economically, yielding just 29 and 32 runs from their allocated nine overs apiece.

Left-arm spinner Danny Kirkland also bowled well, while Murphy, Farnham's fastest bowler, found consistency in his second spell and took three wickets in his last four overs to finish with fine figures of 3 for 29 from nine overs.

Porter and Ward added some much-needed quick runs and North Maidenhead were left to defend a total of 177-7 from the allotted 45 overs.

In the absence of Alan Thorpe, Smith opened with Gary Clapham and the pair paced Farnham to a stand of 57 from just 10 overs.

Clapham holed out to fine leg and Smith was adjudged lbw shortly afterwards, but this only brought Nick Whitworth and Bob Brown together in the decisive partnership of the game.

Brown batted sensibly in support of Whitworth who, with an array of fine stokes, accelerated to 68 before being superbly caught at mid-wicket by Atkinson.

Simon Robson and Daniel Midwinter were left with the task of scoring the winning runs with nine balls to spare.

north maidenhead

D Shaw lbw Stedman 17

P Carter lbw Stedman 43

S Duncambe b Murphy 16

J Rickman b Smith 16

S Foster lbw Murphy 6

M Porter not out 30

L Atkinson b Murphy 0

G Copas b Kirkland 9

A Ward not out 22

Extras 18

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Total (for 7 wkts) 177

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Bowling: P Murphy 3-29, R Smith 1-21, C Stedman 2-32, D Kirkland 1-45.

farnham

R Smith lbw Atkinson 28

G Clapham c Ward b Rickman 24

N Whitworth c Atkinson b Shaw 68

R Brown c and b Carter 26

P Dickinson b Ward 7

S Robson not out 11

D Midwinter not out 4

Extras 10

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Total (for 5 wkts) 178

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