T20 Test is fitting tribute to Farndon

Leek Wootton secured a four- wicket victory over Jaguar Land Rover in a charity match to honour the life of Tony Farndon, who passed away in July at the age of 73.
Tony FarndonTony Farndon
Tony Farndon

Wootton stalwart Farndon was a player, groundsman, youth team coach and cricket club chairman in his 31 years with the team.

He was also a former employee of JLR before his retirement and was credited with introducing the JLR cricketers to the club a decade ago.

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A number of the JLR players have gone on to represent Wootton in the Cotswold Hills League, contributing to Wootton’s promotion to the Premier Division, while the two sides have had regular fixtures each year.

The game, played as a T20 ‘Test Match’, saw Wootton operate a rolling squad of players old and young, to allow as many people to play as possible.

Lee Farndon, nephew of Tony, was asked to captain the home team and Lee’s son Rhys impressed with two wickets in a tidy spell of seam bowling as JLR posted a respectable 101 for nine in their first 20 overs.

Wootton veterans Malcolm Barnett, Tony O’Toole and Fred Wyatt - with over 220 years of experience between them - all batted in Wootton’s first innings but could not help the home team avoid a first-innings deficit of 29.

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In their second innings, JLR posted 91 for eight to set Wootton a challenging 121 for victory on a tricky wicket.

However, the home side, buoyed by a large crowd, all chipped in with useful contributions, and it was left to club captain Graeme Couchman to hit the winning runs with five balls to spare.