AFTER the frustration of having another league game rained off, Farnham had the satisfaction of seeing their young side beat the I’Anson Representative XI in the annual fixture.

Tom Grimes elected to bat on a good-looking wicket at the Park, but Farnham began badly against Matt Hall and the very promising Alex Marden.

However, Joel Walker got himself in and took the attack to the bowlers with a quickfire 46 before going for one big shot too many and being bowled by young Marden who finished with 4-44 from eight overs.

Walker and George Hellyer had shared a century stand for the third wicket and now Hellyer really opened up, racing to 94 and hitting 11 fours and four sixes before being sixth man out at 212, caught off James Crouch.

Russ Golding and Jonny Matthews gave fine support and a breezy 31 not out from Alec Goldsworthy saw the host side to a formidable 260-9 in their allotted 40 overs.

The I’Anson needed a racing start and they were given one by the Grayshott/Blackheath opening combination of James Cavannagh and Rob Parrott who rattled up 89 runs before before the spin of Nathan Thorpe made the breakthrough and Parrott was caught for a rapid 57.

Wickets then tumbled to Thorpe and Chris Terry as the visitors strove to maintain the high asking rate and when Cavannagh was sixth man out for an excellent 74, caught off Ciaran Rooney, the I’Anson had too much leeway to make up.

The spinners did a good job for Farnham, with Thorpe taking 3-36 in eight overs, and the representative side finished on 197-9 – respectable, but 63 runs short of the target.

I’Anson secretary Gill Rooney presented caps to representative side debutants Denis Hounsham (Tilford) and Alex Marden (Grayshott).

FARNHAM 260-9 (G Hellyer 94, J Walker 46, J Goldsworthy 31 not out, J Matthews 30, R Golding 24; A Marden 4-44, P Melhuish 2-23).

I’ANSON XI 197-9 (J Cavannagh 74, R Parrott 57, J Frost 19, I Jackson 15; N Thorpe 3-36, A Goldsworthy 2-26).