FARNHAM made short work of bottom side Purley and moved above Epsom, who lost to Dulwich, into the second promotion place behind Camberley, runaway leaders of the Surrey Championship Division Five.

The Ridge wicket looked good and Purley elected to bat. The openers immediately tried to hit the ball out of the park, but the pace and swing of Tom Andrews and consistent medium-slow of Ben Ungaretti soon accounted for both Patels, Shane and Vishal, and Purley were 19-2.

Ungaretti followed up by having Harry Hanford caught behind for 20 (40-3) before Tom Grimes changed tactics and brought on Rob Dale to bowl in tandem with slow left-armer Chris Terry.

Dale bowled with great control and impressive swing, while Terry again put a stranglehold on the batsmen.

Wickets fell regularly and although Purley batted 43 overs, and despite a gutsy 40 from Stuart Glassington, the home side subsided to 124 all out.

Dale deserved more than his one wicket, Andrews and Ungaretti picked up two each, and the other wickets were shared by young spinners Terry and Nathan Thorpe.

Terry wheeled away to take 2-27 in 13 overs, while Thorpe brought the innings to an abrupt finish by snapping up 3-16 in 5.2 overs.

Thorpe was not finished and he again looked in excellent touch as he let the good balls go past and put away anything slightly off line. Opening partner James Berry also looked comfortable, despite suffering from mild sun-stroke, and their partnership of 72 effectively put the game to bed.

Jason Batson dismissed Berry for 28 and a cameo 23 from Joel Walker took Farnham to within touching distance of the target. One forcing shot too many brought in Ciaran Rooney and it was he who hit the winning boundary through the covers in the 32nd over.

Thorpe, moving smoothly up the gears, finished 59 not out and took his 1st XI average to 150!

Farnham travel to Egham this Saturday. Again, this is a game Farnham would expect to win.