A TENACIOUS Farley lost out in a rain-affected County Division 4 West derby with rivals Amesbury.

With the track damp and rain never far away, Farley elected to field first but found an early breakthrough elusive.

Home skipper Jayme Underwood dug in, while partner Andy Renshaw took a more aggressive approach. Striking firmly through the line, Renshaw rode his luck and offered a couple of chances, but made a run-a-ball 48 before being bowled by one that kept low. It was by some distance the highest innings of the game.

Underwood fell for a gritty 31 as Farley spinners Paul Roberts and Jake Hand began to take back some control, picking up three wickets apiece as Amesbury failed to capitalise on this good start. Despite some middle order aggression, they stumbled from 97-1 to 170 all out - which looked about par on the slow pitch.

Farley started steadily against accurate bowling from Joe Cornelius and young Jayden Atkinson, and had reached 23-1 in the 10th over when the heavens opened. The covers were quickly in place, and as the rain eased to a light drizzle both sides and the two umpires were keen to resume proceedings.

Farley's target was adjusted to 140 in 32 overs, which meant they had to put their foot on the gas. This played into the hands of Sumith Surendran, whose mix of skiddy seam and spin proved highly effective. Farley skipper Mike Covill and Andy Coveney both looked fairly fluent, but the wet outfield meant boundaries were few and far between. Covill was trapped in front for 26, and Coveney fell soon after Cornelius returned to the attack, courtesy of a well-judged catch by Dale Gower.

Geoff Ramsey and Dave Glanvill continued to try and up the rate, but both fell in consecutive balls - Glanvill to a steepling boundary catch from Macauley Atkinson as Surendran finished with 4-43. At the other end, Cornelius kept the ball right in the blockhole and Farley couldn't get him away. As the tail swished, Cornelius kept hitting the timbers to grab 4-26 as Farley were all out for 107 with a couple of overs to go.

Amesbury bounced back into the top four ahead of next week's visit to Southampton Travellers while Farley head to Dinton in search of a much-needed victory.