WITH some key players missing and skipper Charles Janczur unable to bowl through injury, Liphook & Ripsley already faced an uphill task against Andover in the SPL Division One.

It didn’t help that the captain lost the toss and Liphook were inserted on a bowler-friendly track at Ripsley Park.

The home side badly needed a big partnership, but they lost openers Ryan and Richard Covey with only 19 runs scored and when in-form Harry Munt – run out by Will Arnold for 45 – and Richard Williams fell in quick succession after a promising stand of 70, the score was 92-4.

Other batsmen got starts, only to perish in the teens. Mike Adams was the pick of the bowlers with 3-13 in 9.1 overs and Asher Hart took 4-32 in 8. Liphook were bowled out for 157, with five overs going to waste.

Liphook required a near perfect performance in the field to pull the game out of the bag, but the lack of seam options showed in some wayward bowling.

Andover had much the best of the conditions and although the result was in the balance at 78-4 and then 108-5, Arnold and Robin Liney survived a testing spell from Ryan Covey and their unbroken 50 partnership steered the visitors to victory in the 38th over.

Liphook visit OTs & Romsey this Saturday.