BIG-HITTING Mike Covill smashed 148 runs to secure a 141-run win for Farley over Suttoners II.

With the visitors missing their strike bowlers, Covill was quickly into his stride, with two boundaries in the third over, and dominated a 152 second wicket stand with Geoff Ramsey, reaching his first Farley ton just after the halfway mark. Merciless off his legs, but fluent on the front foot too, Covill smashed 17 fours and nine sixes.

When he fell with eight overs of the innings still to go, Andy Coveney picked up the gauntlet and raced to 71 not out. Theo Bossom and Dave Glanvill added quick runs too as Farley finished on an imposing 321-6.

Suttoners sought to set off in aggressive fashion, but with Bossom and Dan Jackson swinging the ball at a good pace, slumped to 22-3, all played on attempting booming drives. Geoff Ramsey then added two scalps to leave the visitors reeling at 52-5.

Ryan Murphy and captain Matt Ward (47 not out) showed there were still plenty of runs in the pitch, even if Murphy led something of a charmed life against the luckless Jake Hand. He eventually fell for a well-made 50, but the seventh wicket pair of Ward and Hunter added 79, before Hunter fell in the final over as Suttoners finished on 180-7.

However, it was a different story for Farley’s second eleven who were skittled for 64 at Knights Valley and lost by nine wickets.