GERRARDS Cross Cricket Club suffered their first league defeat since August 1999 as they crashed to Farnham Royal by 83 runs.

Ironically, their last defeat was also against Farnham Royal by a similar margin.

Farnham started slowly against some accurate Cross bowling, with Jon Coles bowling seven maidens in his first ten overs, as the run rate struggled to reach two runs per overs.

The wickets soon began to tumble as Stuart Welch (five for 79) claimed two in three balls and Farnham Royal reached 100 for four off 36 overs.

Miller (85) and Sanford (41) then set about the Cross attack as the game changed dramatically.

The run rate suddenly increased as Farnham Royal blasted 121 runs off the last 16 overs. It took two good outfield catches from Ed Waugh to dismiss both Miller and Sanford as Farnham Royal finished on 221 for seven.

The Cross started well with Hamish Marshall (33) punishing anything loose and at 64 for two they looked well-poised for the run chase.

But Ali had other ideas as he claimed three quick wickets to leave the Cross on 82 for five.

Ed Montague held the Cross innings together with a patient 35 and a draw seemed the most likely result with eight overs remaining. However, Henderson was brought back into the attack and he blew away the tail as the Cross lost three wickets in nine balls.

Some stubborn resistance from Jon Coles and Richard Thomas frustrated Farnham Royal. But it was all in vain as the last wicket went down with just two balls of the match remaining as the Cross were all out for 138.