ASTON Rowant were grateful to Chris Leaney as they beat Farnham Royal by 16 runs in Division 2 West of the Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League on Saturday.

The 17-year-old claimed the last three Farnham wickets to give Rowant a narrow victory, after it appeared they would let slip a winning position.

Rowant had found batting difficult, and crept to 157-9 off their 60 overs, only opener Tim Morgan (75) able to cope with conditions.

A huge 28 extras also proved crucial in their total.

Skipper Wes Morrick, who said on the eve of the game that a hamstring injury would force him out for “hopefully only a couple of weeks”, took 4-51 and Glenn Carlton 3-33 as Farnham were in all sorts of trouble at 61-6 and 97-7.

However, Javed Khan had other ideas and took the game to Rowant’s attack.

But when Leaney was called upon, he delivered – firstly dismissing Chris Esh, then the crucial wicket of Khan, before trapping Ian Pulsford leg before to seal an exciting success.