JAMES Berry’s big day with bat and ball proved in vain as Farnham slipped to a second successive defeat in Surrey Championship Division Two 1st XI on Saturday against Worcester Park.

Berry was Farnham’s leading wicket-taker with 3-42 as Worcester Park rattled up 232-7 in their 50 overs before hitting a fluent 67 as the hosts were bowled out for 198 in reply.

Farnham won the toss and with a green tinge in the pitch put the opposition in in the hope of picking up early wickets.

And the home side started strongly with Rob Goldsworthy and birthday boy Dominic Lloyd settling into good areas, restricting Worcester Park to only the occasional streaky boundary.

Goldsworthy eventually got the vital breakthrough with a brilliant relay catch, with Rooney’s strong palm at short cover parrying the ball to Goldsworthy in his follow through to leave the visitors on 26-1.

The introduction of Berry brought about another couple of wickets as Farnham kept the run rate under control and restricted Worcester Park to 62-3.

Farnham then introduced spin just before drinks which kept things tight, the visitors 81-3 when they were taken.

On the resumption, Worcester Park decided to attack which led to a wicket for Matt Clarke, but that merely brought Waqas Sagar to the wicket alongside Rob Hill and both punished anything slightly off line, Sagar in particular attacking spin.

They duly added 71 at roughly a run a ball before Thomas Grimes picked up Sagar with a wrong’un, Sagar departing for a quickfire 32 off 27 balls.

On his departure Hill took up the mantle and continued to attack the Farnham bowling, and they struggled to contain Hill (91 not out) in the last few overs as he cleverly manipulated the ball, finding the gaps and taking his side up to 232-7 from their 50 overs.

Farnham were left slightly disappointed in the second half of the innings but were confident of chasing the total.

But they didn’t get off to the best of starts with Toby Davies falling second ball to a fine delivery from James Harrison.

That brought Guy Hicks and Berry together and the pair put on a good 60-run partnership in reply to some controlled bowling from the Worcester Park openers.

Farnham were then pegged back by the introduction of spin, with the visitors picking up Hicks and Davies to leave Farnham 94-3 at the halfway point.

Berry continued fluently, though, bringing up a fine 50, but with the rate required hovering at a run a ball he fell for 67.

Farnham, continuing to run well between the wickets, were still in touching distance of the asking rate but were struggling to find the boundaries that would have eased the pressure on the batsmen.

And with the reintroduction of the Worcester Park opening bowlers, Farnham lost further wickets. With the run chase faltering, Rooney held firm. He made a well constructed 39 but when he was dismissed Farnham were left struggling.

The home side eventually fell away, being bowled out for 198 in what proved to be a frustrating end to the first home game of the season.

Although a disappointing result, it was brilliant to see so many spectators and past players supporting up at the park for the first XI’s first home fixture of the new season.

On Saturday, Farnham travel to face league rivals Bank of England at their Priory Lane ground in London.