ANDOVER lost a gripping match to Southern League Division One title winners Hook and Newnham Basics on a roasting hot day at the King George V playing fields last Saturday.

Andover were the only side to beat Hook in the first half of the season and arrived with the home side needing just two points to clinch their first ever Div One crown.

Andover won the toss and got off to an aggressive start. Glyn Treagus (57) and Alex Ayers (48) played some attractive shots all round the wicket as they took on the Hook seam attack.

The pair took Andover to 100 off the first 20 overs.

Hook skipper Josh Buckingham then introduced his spinners into the attack which initiated an Andover collapse.

The visitors lost six wickets for 20 runs with Anik Divecha the chief destroyer with 5-21 which was on his birthday.

Skipper Matt Hooper provided some lower order resistance with a well made 29 to take Andover up to an all out total of 168.

Hook got off to the worst possible start with Harry Robson and Dan Moore bowled in the first two overs off the innings.

Aidan Jansen and Mike Adams continued to bowl tightly, but Kieran Thomson (52) and Richard Wilcock (16) put on a 50-run stand to leave the game finely poised.

Young star Morgan Vanadel bowled Wilcock to leave the game finely poised at 55-3.

Andover continued to chip away, with spinners Charlie Ayers and Glyn Treagus picking up wickets.

However, Rhodes Franklin (30 not out) helped Hook to their target with Divecha scoring the winning runs.

Hook winning by two wickets which clinched the title for Hook.

The loss to the champions leaves Andover fourth and they entertain fifth placed Rowledge in their final game of the season.