Andover's batting line up failed to capitalise on good starts as their side narrowly lost to Liphook and Ripsley on a sunny day at London Road.

Home skipper Matt Hooper lost the toss and was unsurprisingly asked to field on a hard and fast track.

But the Nordlock sponsored side got off to a good start with experienced duo David Taylor and Darron Augustus wreaking havoc with the new ball.

Taylor made early inroads with a superb spell taking the scalps of Covey, Cover and the prize wicket of overseas player Ganguly, and finishing with excellent figures of 3-22 off ten.

Opener Rob Nicklin stood firm while wickets fell around him to bring up a deserved half century.

He was well supported in the middle order by captain Harry Munt who made 41 before being caught behind by Matt Knight, one of four victims for the glovesman, off the bowling of Augustus.

His brother Dylan, back from his travels, bowled a tight ten overs, only leaking 32 runs and it was left to spin duo Matt Hooper and Danny Foy to try and restrict the total.

Inevitably the spinners were attacked as they tried to force the total up above the 200 mark.

Foy was rewarded for his toil with three wickets, including the dangerous Nicklin to a great catch in the deep by gun fielder Luke Andrews.

Liphook ended on a competitive 222-7 off their 50 overs, a score that the home side felt was within reach if they applied themselves.

Openers Ali Hooper and Glyn Treagus got to 40 in no time, with Hooper brutally crashing 31 of those, before Treagus was caught at second slip and Hooper bowled in quick succession.

This brought Taylor and Darron Augustus together at the crease and they continued the momentum with some lovely stroke play.

However it was an all too similar story for the Andover batting line up.

Several batsmen made good starts but all failed to capitalise, including May’s player of the month, David Taylor.

Taylor was caught for 26 and Augustus followed suit for 28. At 110-4 at the halfway stage, the game was well poised.

A flurry of wickets saw Will Arnold, Max Souter and Knight fall, leaving Luke Andrews and Matt Hooper to steer the home side close to the target.

Hooper was caught for 19 going for another big shot and Andrews holed out for a well made 24.

That left it to Dylan Augustus and Danny Foy with a small mountain to climb but the pair batted very sensibly, with Augustus top scoring on 36 not out.

The home side required 12 off the last over and Augustus smeared a boundary first ball.

Four tight deliveries, which reaped another four runs, left Augustus on strike with only four required and he launched himself down the track and connected well, but the ball was well fielded by Ganguly on the ropes to win the game for Liphook.

All in all, it was another close encounter between the two sides.