FARLEY opened the season in style with an 86 run win at home to a weakened Steeple Langford.

Inserted on a slightly damp track, Farley’s openers found runs hard to come by against Nick Partridge and Chris Miles.

Ramesh Gurung looked to be hitting his stride, having crashed two boundaries, before he was trapped in front.

It proved a familiar tale as Farley’s top four were all leg before, having settled in. Binay Gurung’s 25 was the most fluent.

At 109-5, around the halfway point, Farley looked to be struggling but then Marc Burton joined Mark Fower in a pivotal partnership.

The pair added 104 at a run a ball, taking full advantage of the less experienced Langford bowlers.

Fower, in his first League game for Farley in almost two decades, eventually fell to the returning Partridge for an excellent 48 and Burton soon followed for 44.

The Farley tail fell away, unable to claim the final batting point, and finished on 222 all out. Partridge and Tom Complin both claimed 3-36.

Burton was into the action immediately with the ball, providing an opening spell full of movement before bowling Hughes with a lovely slower delivery.

At the other end Sandesh Lama, on Farley debut, settled into a fantastic rhythm, conceding just eight runs in a seven over spell that constantly threatened.

Manny Gurung removed Adam McNeily to leave Langford 23-2 after 14 overs. Partridge then joined his skipper Nick Mundy in what proved the key partnership. While Mundy was the more watchful, Partridge went on the counter, peppering the leg side fence as he raced to a 33 ball half century.

Having given him a couple of lives, Farley were relieved when Partridge skied a flighted delivery from Paul Roberts.

The chance was safely pouched by Fower and when Ramesh Gurung cleaned up Mundy the following over, the Langford threat was gone.

Roberts (4-29) and Gurung (2-16) worked their way through the lower order, and Burton applied the finish, hitting the bails of last man Complin to leave Langford 136 all out.

The second team game between the clubs was unfortunately cancelled with Langford unable to raise a side.

Pictured standing left to right: George Manston, Jon Burton, Jakki Knight (scorer), Manny Gurung, Sam Waters, Mark Fower, Keith Redding (umpire).

Kneeling left to right:Paul Roberts, Sandesh Lama, Binay Gurung, Ramesh Gurung, Andy Coveney. Absent - Marc Burton.