A FINE opening stand gave Farley the platform for an important 75-run win at Verwood in County Division 4 West.

Simon Wakeford and Mike Covill weathered some distinctly uneven bounce to add a decisive 91 for the first wicket. Wakeford was the more fluent of the two, recovering from taking some blows to the head and arms early on to punish the home seamers. He hammered 10 boundaries on his way to 51, before falling to Verwood skipper John Driscoll.

Driscoll's turn and bounce held Farley in check, and after the first wicket Farley added just five runs in seven overs. Covill was then bowled for 40, looking to break the shackles. Geoff Ramsey added a run-a-ball 36, and Dave Glanvill 21, but Farley's lower order collapsed again from 170-4 to 176 all out - Jerry Millward and Ollie Arnold taking three wickets apiece.

Determined to make use of the variable track, Ramsey was asked to open the bowling for the first time this season and struck in his first over, courtesy of a Dan Jackson catch. It was the start of one of Farley's best fielding performances of the season, with Phil Owen and Pete Hillman both picking up catches off their bootstraps as the Farley attack kept putting the ball in the right areas.

Paul Roberts gained sharp lift to give Dave Glanvill two victims behind the stumps, while Jackson claimed two vital wickets in consecutive legitimate balls, including topscorer Gajic for 20, to reduce Verwood to 57-6. There was some resistance from the lower order, led by the pugnacious Millward who helped secure an extra batting point, but Roberts (4-28) completed things in the 33rd over, bowling last man Leigh.

Paul Webster was the stand out performer for Farley's second team, who beat Burley seconds by 54 runs in Regional Division 3 West. Andy Stagg was lynchpin with the bat as usual, making 77, while Harry Jenkins continued his recent run of good form with 42 as Farley finished 180 all out.

Webster then tore into the Burley line-up, claiming 5-24 while Reece Boase added 3-23. The win puts Farley up to 10th.