Andover v Liphook and Ripsley.

Andover built on their convincing win over Fawley with a superb all round team performance to defeat Liphook and Ripsley at London Road on Saturday.

After the torrential downpour in the morning, the ground staff worked tirelessly to get the game on and a delayed start of 3pm was scheduled, meaning a 38 over game reduced from the usual 50.

Skipper Mike Adams lost the toss and was unsurprisingly asked to bat first on a damp pitch and openers Dave Taylor and Max Souter weathered the new ball storm with caution, putting the bad ball away when required.

When the impressive Covey bowled Souter, it made way for overseas star Byron Haycock who moved through the gears with the aggressive Taylor. The pair manoeuvred the ball around the ground with ease and Taylor was particularly brutal on anything full.

The former pro was cruising and brought up his half century in good time before he mistimed a drive and was caught on the ropes.

Glyn Treagus joined Haycock to build a crucial partnership, running well between the wickets and putting the pressure on the Liphook fielders. Haycock was well caught when he drilled one to mid-wicket but Robbie Hadfield continued his good work, playing his own brand of attacking shots.

A late flurry of wickets inevitably arrived when Andover launched a final assault to push the score up towards 200 as Treagus, Harry Blackburn, Ed Duckworth and Luke Graham all fell in quick succession and it was left to captain Adams to blaze 16 in quick time at the end to leave the home side on 179-7 off 38 overs.

The Liphook reply started cautiously as they struggled against the masterful swing bowling of Taylor, whose opening spell leaked just ten runs from eight overs.

This paved the way for the others to snare some wickets with Adams claiming the first scalp thanks to a great catch from Jimmy Knight.

Experienced seamer Graham ripped out two wickets in quick succession as the Liphook reply started to falter.

As the pressure started to build, mistakes started to come and Vision Express sponsored Andover capitalised with three impressive run-outs, two from the ever present Danny Foy.

More wickets came for spin twins Foy and Treagus and two for in-form Knight, rounding off a great team performance as Liphook ended 140 all out.

Andover travel to Bournemouth next where they look to continue their winning run.