ANDOVER 2nd XI started the season in fine style with two resounding wins with 16-year-old Mark Coplestone (53) and 15-year-old Tim Clarke (61no) leading the way in last Saturday's opening game against Basingstoke 2nd XI.

Basingstoke had earlier amassed 206-4 in their allotted 40 overs with Terry Neale claiming 1-42, 14-year-old Chris Hadfield 2-40 and Phil Night 1-22.

The Seconds, in reply, also scored freely with Coplestone notching six boundaries and controlling the first half of the innings with skipper Ian Gardner (38). When he departed at 108-5, young wicket-keeper batsman Clarke took over and blasted the side home with a superb unbeaten knock from 42 balls that included a six and seven fours, and was well supported by Andrew Green (17) and Terery Neale (16no).

Skipper Gardner was delighted in the performance of the a side that included eight teenagers.

On Sunday, Tim Brown made his debut as captain and came home with a 63-run victory at Aldershot. Put into bat the Seconds found scoring difficult but club captain John Coplestone's two hour vigil at the crease produced 48 runs and he was well supported by Tim Brown (18), 14-year-old Oliver Goss (12), Andrew Green (19) and 12-year-old Jonty Hadfield (3no) as the side totalled 137-8 declared.

In Aldershot's reply, Terry Neale grabbed a couple of early wickets but the game swung Andover's way when 12-year-old wicket-keeper Chris Jackson, who was making his senior debut, held the catch to dismiss the home skipper and give Andrew Green (1-19) his first wicket of the season.

Neale (5-15) worked his way through the Aldershot batting for a fine five-wicket haul, with good support coming from Dale Green (2-12), and a Tim Brown run out saw Andover home.