Farnham beat Cove by 76 runs in a pre-season friendly.

Farnham batted first and hoped to set a strong platform, but Chris Farmiloe got one to rear from back of a length to have Adam Elstow caught at gully. This brought Farnham’s new overseas player Jason Grozdanovski to the crease. After a watchful start Grozdanovski soon became accustomed to conditions and started to open up and strike the ball powerfully. At the other end Daniel Wakely struck the first six of the day but was bowled next ball by Archie Smith.

Tom Wheeler joined Grozdanovski at the crease. The pair added 95 and sent the Cove bowlers to all parts of the ground. Grozdanovski sent the ball into the neighbouring golf club car park three times, and Wheeler upped his strike rate with a straight six off Ryan Filkins. Filkins then bowled Grozdanovski for a magnificent 84 from 77 balls. Wheeler reached his own half-century before retiring on 59 to give other team-mates pre-season middle time. A strong finish from the Cove bowlers saw a late flurry of wickets as Farnham scored 218 for six off their 40 overs.

Cove opener Thomas Redhead attacked every ball he faced and took 20 from the first over. At the other end Neil Randall was bowled second ball by Haris Khan’s superb in-swinging yorker. Farnham’s stand-in captain Rob Goldsworthy then bowled Redhead through the gate for 26. Cove’s batters continued to try to score quickly, but Khan picked up a second wicket. The runs dried up, with Grozdanovski’s seven overs costing just nine runs. Smith made an impressive 46 but had little support as wickets fell at the other end. Despite Matt Farr (22 not out) hitting two sixes the remaining wickets fell in a hurry and Cove were bowled out for 142.