Camberley went top of the Surrey Championship Division One and kept Farnham rooted to the bottom after winning the local derby at the Park on Saturday.

It’s been a tough spell for Farnham, who lost to high-flyers Esher the previous week, and they started badly after Tom Grimes had chosen to bat on a very warm day.

Trevor McGeer and Sri Lankan U19 Lahiru Samarakoon bowled good areas and the hosts were struggling at 14-2 after 10 overs. Opener Nathan Thorpe held firm, though, while Toby Ward briefly broke the bowlers’ grip with a quickfire 23 before falling to leg-spinner Elliott Green soon after the first drinks break.

More disciplined bowling pegged the home side back to 50-5 and a rebuilding job was required before lunch.

Thorpe and Grimes knuckled down in a partnership of 69 and things were looking better at 119-5.

Soon after the restart, however, Thorpe was caught off Green for a hard-fought 54 (147 balls). Grimes and Matt Clarke took it on to 132 before the captain was bowled by the tricky Samarakoon for 31.

The lower order chipped in and Farnham battled their way to 165 all out in the 66th over. Samarakoon took 4-44 in 16 overs.

Farnham had to make early inroads to have a chance and they did just that, Rob Goldsworthy having skipper Max Shoveller caught by Marc Lewis with the second ball of the innings. James Berry then caught and bowled Todd Hutcheson and Camberley were 22-2.

However, Farnham now faced Tade Carmichael, who has played in the Carribean T20 League, and he immediately aimed some massive blows towards the castle and knocked Goldsworthy out of the attack.

The early introduction of spin slowed the rocketing run-rate a little, but Carmichael and Glenn Taylor continued to play their shots.

At 94-2, Berry removed Hutcheson, but Camberley seemed in command at tea. Farnham were not quite done, though, and picked up two quick wickets on the resumption, Thorpe claiming the prize scalp of Carmichael who had hit 64 at a run-a-ball, including five fours and four sixes.

Farnham were in with a sniff at 129-6, remembering that Camberley had collapsed from a similar position last year. But there was no repeat of that as Samarakoon came in to strike 34 off 27 balls. Green gave willing support and Camberley won by three wickets in the 28th over.