Andover II v Titchborne Park

ANDOVER 2's fell to their first league defeat this season with a below par performance against Titchborne Park. This was Andover's first game for over a month and it showed against a side that played last week.

Andover lost the toss and was asked to field by the Titchborne captain who would have known the pitch would deteriorate during the game. Titchborne got off to a fly with the openers racing to 69 insider 12 overs as the young opening attack of Guilfoyle and Travers suffered under a heavy onslaught from the unconventional opening pair. The introduction of Andy Hooper and Gardner soon changed the game with the next 24 overs going for 76 runs. Andy Hooper was the pick of the bowling with final figures of 2-30 from his 12 overs.

The ever decreasing bounce and pace of the Titchborne Park pitch suited Nick Dancer who joined the attack after 24 overs bowling right through to the end claim 1-60 - a fine performance for a player on his return to the side. Titchborne finished their inning with a flurry of runs (71) coming in the last eight overs with captain Gardner (4-71) suffering under the onslaught conceding 35 runs from his last 3 overs with some poor bowling.

This left Andover chasing 237, probably 30 more than they should have been.

Andover got off to a solid start despite the loss of Coppleston (13), with Gardner (29) and Atkins (43) putting Andover in a strong position after 20 overs at 99-1. The fall of Gardner precipitated a collapse with 5 wickets falling for 26 runs. This placed Andover behind the rate and despite a plucky last wicket partnership of 37* between Dancer (24*) and Hooper (21*) they fell to defeat by 33 runs.

Andover must now pick themselves up before another big game this Saturday against fourth placed OTs and Romsey who were thrashed last week by now top of the table Fair Oak.