AMESBURY are perched on the top Hampshire County 4 West division after a 163-run victory over Ampfield and North Baddesley.

The visitors' openers, Jayme Underwood and Andy Renshaw, made a positive start to keep the scoreboard ticking along.

After Underwood's departure in the eighth over, Amesbury's number three, Jordan Derbyshire, began steadily and in combination with Renshaw continued to punish the bowling attack, until Renshaw was bowled for a well made 37.

Amesbury's middle order built on the early progress and a key 77-run partnership between Derbyshire and Sumith Surendran enabled Amesbury to post a respectable and above par first innings total.

Derbyshire made his maiden 50 for the club by playing a controlled innings before eventually departing for a composed 64.

Despite losing a couple of quickfire wickets, Amesbury's Dale Gower continued to shift momentum by playing a number of sublime shots to move the scoreboard past the 200 mark.

Gower was eventually caught in the 44th over after making a vital 60 - with Amesbury subsequently closing their innings on 216/9. Key contributions in Amesbury's total were made by Renshaw (37), Derbyshire (64) and Gower (60).

After tea, Amesbury's ever-reliable opening bowling attack of Gareth Dobson and Jayden Atkinson got to work and immediately put Ampfield & North Baddesley's top order under pressure.

Atkinson claimed the first wicket to fall, and it wasn't long before Dobson joined his counterpart in the wickets column.

Ampfield struggled to cope with the mixture of pace and movement off the surface as they staggered to 24/3. The introduction of Joe Cornelius didn't ease matters as he and Dobson tore through the batting order to leave the opposition 43/9. Dobson finished his spell with figures of 4-32, while Cornelius a remarkable 4-4.

Surendran took the final wicket off his first over to end Ampfield & North Baddesley's innings on 53 and ensure back-to-back victories.

Amesbury will look to continue their early season form with a visit to Verwood next weekend.