ANDOVER will be playing at the Hampshire Rose Bowl next month after winning through to the final of the Southern Electric Premier League's midweek knockout cup after defeating unbeaten league champions Havant in an enthralling semi-final clash at London Road last Thursday.

It's the second time that the town club has reach the final, losing out to Salisbury side South Wilts on their last appearance, but Hayward's revitalised team will be hoping to go one better this year and will be facing either Lymington or Rowledge in the final on Wednesday, 1 August.

In an exciting encounter Andover won by 20 runs after scoring 176 off their 23 overs. They owed much to the cavalier Mark Kavanagh, who took the bowling apart with a typical 65, and then skipper Jerry Hayward, with 'Pickles' clubbing 26 from the final over - including four huge sixes!

Two of Hayward's massive hits landed on top of the pavilion as Havant were set a mammoth task. Stuart Hindley (65) batted throughout the whole innings and after a slow start the game seemed to have swung their way as they accelerated in the middle of the innings.

However, fine bowling from Ian Langdown, Roger and Sam Miller, backed by excellent fielding, and fielding put the visitors under pressure and a large boisterous home crowd gave ample support to the town side. Needing 26 off the final two overs, it proved a task beyond the league leaders as they finished 20 short.

Andover 1st XI's bottom-of-the-table clash with basement boys Hungerford at London Road in Southern Electric Premier One last Saturday saw Jerry Hayward's home side have much the better of a disappointing draw after Hungerford made no attempt to chase Andover's 224 all out and finish with 150-5, with both sides gaining nine points.

It was nice for Hayward and his team to remain unbeaten for another week but, with both sides at the wrong end of the league table, realistically it was a vital game that neither side could really afford to lose.

Andover to their credit made the more positive approach and showed that they wanted to win the game rather than settle for the points that a draw would offer.

With rain in the air, Andover after losing the toss were invited to bat but continued their improved form with Neil Staddon (63) and Mark Miller (17) giving them a fine start with an opening partnership of 33.

Miller was the first to go - one of seven players in the match dismissed lbw - but Roger Miller (13) and Ian Langdown (8) both looked confident early on yet after doing the hard work found themselves back in the pavilion having been caught at slip and lbw respectively.

Iain Brunnschweiler forgot the golden rule of always getting forward and became the third lbw of the innings. At 69-3 Andover their backs against the wall and it took a determined partnership to swing the game back into Andover's favour.

Hayward (43) and Staddon complimented each other's styles, with 'Pickles' finding the boundary with exquisite timimg and 'Studs' working the ball into the gaps for quickly taken ones and twos.

The Andover skipper seemed set for a deserved half-century and was just seven short of his 50 when he lifted an easy catch to cover at 145-5. Soon it was six down with Tim Keighley departing for a duck but Dean Woodhouuse (46) after a cautious start was soon into his stride and, with Staddon reaching his 50, Andover were well on the way to reaching a respectable total.

Staddon added another 13 runs to his total before unfortunately running himself out but James Manning (14), Matt Hooper (0) and Andy Hooper (3) all supported Woodhouse on his way to a superb knock that saw 15 coming for the last over.

To win Andover needed all 10 wickets but there was little chance of that due to Hungerford's negative response and the home side managed only five, with Woodhouse making an early breakthrough when he split the openers when Langdown held on to his catch at the second attempt at slip.

Andy Hooper, having recorded five-wicket hauls in his last two outings for the 3rd XI, was back in the side for his ability to take wickets and the veteran spinner claimed the next two wickets with him gaining lbw decisions to have Hungerford struggling at 49-3 after 20 overs.

Langdowen also picked up two wickets in his 12 overs spell as Hungerford reached 150-5 at stumps and give Andover the result of a 'winning draw'.