FARNHAM will hope that the switch to all-day cricket this weekend will bring them better fortune after another disappointing defeat in the Surrey Championship.

Their day had started so well at Chessington. The home side’s decision to bat first looked an interesting one as Rob Goldsworthy picked up two early wickets and Jim Berry brilliantly ran out Harry Clark-Burnham.

This was during Berry’s superb opening spell when he conceded six runs in eight overs (6 maidens).

Change-bowlers Rob Dale and Nathan Thorpe continued to turn the screw and Chessington slumped to 64-6 after 25 overs.

But Farnham failed to capitalise on this start. Roman Qazi and Colin?Watson, by keeping out the good balls and putting away the bad ones, took the score to 118 before Tom Grimes broke the stand.

Chessington continued to score freely through Qazi and Luke Barnard and a last-wicket stand between Fazal HaqJan – a painful sting in the tail with 41 not out off 22 balls – and Syed Maqbool completed an impressive comeback on 198-9.

Farnham, after a scratchy start (22-2 after 8 overs), regained the initiative with a third-wicket stand of 63 between the Tobys, Davies and Ward. When Davies was bowled by Barnard, Farnham were ahead of the required rate, but again they let the advantage slip. Barnard had Ward caught for 40 and, at drinks, the visitors were stuttering at 95-5.

Will Davies and Grimes dug in for a while, but another flurry of wickets saw Farnham slip to 118-8 before Davies and Rob Goldsworthy added 49 to give their side hope. But it was too much to ask and Farnham were bowled out for 161, Chessington winning by 37 runs.

Farnham are home to Valley End this Saturday (start 11am at the Park).

Churt elected to field in their Division Three match at Stoke D’Abernon and seemed to have done half the job after dismissing their old rivals for 137.

Rowley Marshall did most of the damage on a helpful wicket, taking 5-44, while Eric Osner picked up 2-14 in nine tight overs.

However, the 50 partnership for the second wicket between Adrian Taylor and James O’Gorman (43) turned out to be a match-winning one.

Churt needed a decent partnership in the tricky conditions, but failed to find one against the probing Ian Hopton (3-34) and Shawn Dyson (3-30). Toby Finneran was top scorer with 19 and Churt were bowled out for 99.

Haslemere lost an important toss in their Division Four game at Ashford and never recovered after losing their top five for 35 runs, with Dave Merchant (3-24) and Ben Simper (3-16) making expert use of the new ball.

Alex Hooker and the tailenders put up some resistance, but the visitors were dismissed for an inadequate 87 in the 38th over.

Ashford put 32 runs on the board before losing a wicket to Jonjo Conway. Alex Hooker and Sam Williams bowled well, but the result was never in doubt and Ashford, although made to work hard for the runs, won by six wickets in the 31st over.