AMESBURY scooted up to third in County Division 4 West after securing a 59-run win at Fawley.

Skipper Jayme Underwood and his opening partner, Andy Renshaw, racked up the runs in what was a positive start.

Yet, in the 14th over, Fawley made a breakthrough, with Renshaw unluckily playing onto his stumps off the bowling of Ben Bolton to end the partnership on 48.

Amesbury's number three, Jordan Derbyshire, continued his rich vein of form and, in combination with Underwood, manoeuvred the ball around the ground to keep the scoreboard ticking along.

After a number of crisp cuts and drives, Derbyshire was the second wicket to fall, caught off the bowling of Roly Coutts for a well made 32.

With wickets in hand and into the final third of their innings, Underwood was content to play around the middle order combination of Dale Gower and Joe Cornelius until being eventually run out in the 37th over for an important 73.

Cornelius, now set, caused havoc among Fawley's bowlers by playing a number of sumptuous drives and cuts to accelerate Amesbury's total beyond the 200 mark. Useful contributions from Adi Berry, Sam Dando, Sumith Surendran and Dave Bailey enabled Amesbury to close their innings on 214/8.

After tea, Amesbury's opening bowlers Gareth Dobson and Joe Cornelius immediately got to work. Cornelius struck twice in his first over to remove Lloyd Coxall and Elliott Earl without a run on the scoreboard.

Amesbury didn't wait long to claim the next wicket. A good piece of fielding by Underwood at mid off ensured a mix up, and his accurate throw to keeper Berry allowed him to dislodge the bails with Fawley's Andy Ward run out and leaving them reeling on 1/3.

Fawley captain, Rob Leach, entered the fray and immediately looked to counter, playing a number of aggressive and controlled strokes in an attempt to bring the hosts back into the game. Although being dropped twice, Leach posted 50 before being caught on the deep mid-wicket boundary by Bailey.

Cornelius, after being well supported by Dobson, Derbyshire, Surendran and Macauley Atkinson, took the final wicket to fall to close Fawley's innings on 155 and finish with figures of 3/23.