ANDOVER bounced back from a loss to Sarisbury last weekend to win a tense game against local rivals Hook and Newnham Basics at London Road.

On a roasting hot day, Hook skipper Matt Love won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bat first. Opening pair Richard Willcock and Josh Buckingham weathered the early storm from Asher Hart and Mike Adams, to put on 57 before first change seamer Luke Gram clean bowled Buckingham.

Harry Warner came and went thanks to another Graham beauty that nipped back off the seam to rip out middle stump.

Captain Love the joined Willcock and the pair batted sensibly, putting on a partnership of 68, battling hard against a strong Andover attack.

Love’s demise was to come in the form of a superb piece of fielding from new Andover signing Charlie Ayers.

The former St Cross man dived to his left and in one motion fired the ball in to run-out Love for 21.

Willcock continued on and passed his half-century until he was eventually caught by Matt Hooper off the leg spin of Ayers for a well-made 84.

Ayers picked up another with a fine caught and bowled to round off an excellent debut for the club.

Hooper scooped up a wicket for himself and at 162-6, Hook looked in danger of posting a below-par score.

Jordan Hobday entered the fray and set about the Andover attack, blasting boundaries aplenty as he looked to drag Hook up over the 200 mark.

He finished on 62 before he was undone by a Mike Adams slower ball. The reintroduction of Asher Hart at the other end saw two quick wickets fall in the final overs as Hook ended on a respectable 245-9 off their 50 overs.

The Nordlock sponsored Andover side's run chase started positively with openers Andrew Duckworth and Asher Hart laying the foundations with a 61 run partnership before Hart was well caught by Matt Buckingham in the deep for 30. Will Arnold then joined Duckworth and the stylish right-hander played a superb turn, whacking 73 in another excellent knock.

He shared partnerships with Duckworth (16), Glyn Treagus (10) and Charlie Ayers (16) before eventually falling with the score on 199-5.

The game was hanging in the balance with just ten overs remaining. However, a classy 28 from Luke Andrews, batting with a cool head under pressure, well supported by a boundary-strewn 27 not out from Matt Hooper, saw Andover close to the finish line.

Andrews fell with 19 runs required and Hooper was joined by Matt Knight.

The pair took it to the final over when six runs were required. Knight calmly picked up the runs with two balls to spare to see the town side over the line.

Next up Andover welcome table toppers Bournemouth.