WHEN ex-Hampshire cricketer Keith Wheatley brought his team of past and present county cricketers to The Sands, he was expecting a close game – as is usually the case in the annual match between hosts Farnham Golf Club and the Southern Professional Cricketers Golf Society.

As a past captain and president of Farnham, he felt confident he knew the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy.

However, Bill Talbot and Ray Heath, also past Farnham captains, had gathered together a team still smarting for the heavy defeat of last year.

Wheatley was able to field a team combining experience (Peter Haslop, Harry Latchman, the Tremletts) with youth (Joe Weatherly, Bob Herman).

Farnham did not have that happy choice. Theirs was a team of experience only, and in some cases a great deal of experience.

The weather was hot, with the course never looking better, and the big-hitting younger cricketers quickly threatened to overpower it.

But the home team, substituting power for accuracy and putters as hot as the weather, slowly began to reel in the visitors.

Neither were able to break away and competition was fierce, but fair, befitting such a beautiful setting.

All matches went past the 16th hole before being decided, and four went to the final green.

Truly a day when the result really did take second place to the joy of competition.

At the finish, a challenge by the losers for a return cricket match at the Ageas Bowl was politely refused by the victorious Farnham team who were content to enjoy the bragging rights for another year.