Seconds win in quick time

Andover kept up the tempo continued throughout the second half of the innings with Rob James (16) and Rob Oostendorp (22) playing their shots and Andy McMahon (26no) also took full advantage of the situation as he and Andrew Green took the score to 258-8, with the notable total of Extra's 52 being the top scorer.

Andover had plenty of runs to defend but with dark skies overhead they had to work hard in the field to gain a result. Andrew Green gave them an early boost with a wicket from the first ball of the innings and Ian Gardner (3-31) at the pavilion end bowled with great vigour and, with Andover holding their catches, Eastleigh slumped to 53-5 in 13 overs.

The wickets kept coming when Andover changed to spin and only a stand of 32 between N Matthews (32) and D O'Brian (22) offered any resistance before as Rob Oostendorp (3-44) and Andy Clark (3-26) finished the task in hand as Eastleigh were all out in the 27th over on 129.

Andover 3rd XI carried on their good run in Hants County Four with an emphatic 213-run win in a one-sided game against US Portsmouth last Saturday. Andover's young side, with seven players aged under-18, were put into bat by the opposition on an inconsistent wicket but Dale Green (90no) and Ali Hooper (53) gave them a blistering start with 86 comings for the first 12 overs before Hooper, who showed that he was back to his best form with his half-century coming from just 38 balls, played on to a 'shooter'.

Steve Williams (23) maintained the momentum but was unlucky when he tired to drive a ball that 'popped' and was out with the socre on 124 after 20 overs. Mike Adams (28) rode his luck early on but continued his good run of form, Ian Williams and Rob Palmer were both o ut trying to maintain the run rate and Mark Copleston played a confident innings with some textbook shots before he was given out lbw and the innings closed on 252-6, with Ian Langdown (16no) finishing with a flurry.

The Andover bowlers, inspired by the massive total, bowled with pace and accuracy. Neil Shield (1-15) and Luke Graham (3-8) nipped out the top order with ease and then Neil Langdown (4-5) came on and his accuracy forced the batsmen to play all the time. Stand-in skipper Andy Hooper (2-8) finished off the USP innings as they crashed to 39 all out.

There was another setback for Andover 4th XI in the Hants East Three last Saturday when they went down by seven wickets against Bedhampton, despite John Coplestone (81) totally dominating the Bedhampton bowling in a fine knock.

After 20 overs Andover were 104-2 and seemingly on target for a big score. It was the introduction of McIntyre and Chase that slowed the scoring and they proceeded to chip away at the Andover middle order, which managed to record four ducks.

Only Alan Brown (32) appeared to be able to stay the course as Andover finally closed on 176 all out. Bedhampton too began in a hurry, no doubt with one eye on the thunder clouds which seemed to massing over St Mary's Church expecting the Carnival Procession to be in progress. Once the god of thunder discovered the carnival was off the clouds rolled away but Bedhampton carried on as relentlessly as the solitary steam traction engine that trundled up Vigo Road.

Opener Barry Jeffs (75no) was their hero but was given splendid support by Alan Hopkins (45) and then young Dan Cornish (25no as Bedhampton reached their target with four overs to spare.

The Andover bowlers made no real impression. Only Terry Neale, Ken Richardson and Alan Brown claimed a wicket apiece. Overall bowling figures have not been included so as not to upset those of a sensitive nature.

An impressive all-round batting and bowling display by Andover 5th XI gave them maximum points from last Saturday's Hants Combination game against Wildern. Invited to bat, Andover lost Dave Hewitt (11) at 25 but a stand of 94 from Ken Brown (37) and skipper Alan Ellwood (64) put them in control.

Matt Guilfoyle (34), Tim Hancox (23), Philip Knight (17) and Liam Poore (12no) pushed the Andover total to 228-8 from their 42 overs.

Philip Knight will always remember his second over in this match as he claimed his first ever hat-trick - all clean bowled - as the visitors fell to 12-3. He eventually finished with 5-39 and was well supported by Will Manning (2-14) and Chris Hadfield (3-14) as Wildern were dimissed for 79.

Andover Sunday 2nd XI strolled to a comfortable win against Newbury on Sunday after skipper for the day Andy Green (27no) and Paul Laker (16) put on 36 in 16 minutes in a last wicket partnership to take the score to 193 all out.

Earlier Peter Wright (15) and opener Mark Copleston (45) took the score to 67-2 and Dale Green (21) and Terry Neale (11) chipped in with useful runs.

In reply, Andover piled on the pressure through the miserly Paul Laker (1-23) and Terry Neale (0-3) but Neil Robb (1-24) got the first wicket, with Chris Hooper taking the catch. After the accurate Andy Green dismissed the dangerous opener it was plain sailing from then on as returned a five-wicket haul thanks to the excellent Chris Hooper, who took four catches behind the stumps.

An understrength Andover Sunday 3rd XI lost by over 100 runs after being dismissed for 74 by Falkland 2nd XI after they had scored 189-6. John Baxter (3-74) bowled a lengthy spell of 21 overs and was backed by John Greogry (1-20), Sean Gallagher (1-24) and 14-year-old Andrew Guilfoyle (1-30) on his senior debut.

In reply, Andover collapsed to 21-8 but two spirited stands from John Baxter (35) with Mark Powell (6) and Andrew Guilfoyle (3no) to Andover to within five overs of achieving a draw before they finally succumbed.