NORDLOCK sponsored Andover beat second in the league Sarisbury in emphatic fashion to jump to fifth in the league and guarantee Southern League Division One cricket for another season.

A disciplined bowling performance followed by a brutal, Max Romer-Lee inspired run chase gave the town a much needed maximum point victory.

Matt Hooper lost the toss and was asked to field first on a drying pitch after a deluge on Friday.

A slow and steady 102 run opening partnership underpinned the Sarisbury innings that never really got going.

A miserly spell from the returning Richie Taylor (0-25 off 10 overs) pegged Sarisbury back from the outset before the spin twins Hooper and Charlie Ayers were introduced.

The visitor's skipper Sam Floyd hit a watchful 51 before being the first to fall to Ayers' leg spin. The next three wickets fell with just twenty runs being added with the Andover spinners doing the damage.

Hooper had the dangerous Thomas Nightingale stumped by Matt Knight, one of four dismissals for the town captain.

With 24 wickets this season, Hooper has now moved one behind opening bowler Mike Adams in the bowling charts with just one game to go.

Young Middlesex Academy prospect, Will Carr, was then brought into the attack and he bowled a fiery spell of pace bowling.

He picked up the wicket of Dan Clouting with a quick short ball to register his first wicket for Andover this season.

A fine run out from Ayers and two quick wickets for Aidan Jansen and Mike Adams saw the tail mopped up for a well below-par 184 all out.

The Andover run-chase made a stuttering start losing Josh Ballantine-Dykes and Will Carr with just 22 runs on the board but a superb partnership from evergreen Glyn Treagus and big hitting Max Romer-Lee saw Andover over the 100 mark.

Treagus (46) fell agonisingly short of a deserved half-century thanks to a wonderful diving catch from the Sarisbury captain off the bowling of Phil Jewell. Will Arnold then entered the fray and a rapid 80 run partnership between him and Romer-Lee saw the town side over the line.

Romer-Lee was at his destructive best, following his 150 against Hartley Wintney a few weeks ago.

He smeared four huge sixes on his way to a splendid 90 not out, winning the game in just the 30th over. Arnold closed on 33 not out, playing some typically classy shots along the way.

A great win for Andover as they enter the final game of the season away at Hook, looking to finish the season with a bang.