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The men's Andover A Basingstoke team started their summer campaign with a resounding 8-0 victory against BDH.

The pairings of Stuart Smilie and George Corden and Jeff Lill and Martyn Isherwood were always in the driving seat. The first round of matches saw both pairs winning 6-0, 6-1; The next produced a 6-1, 6-1 victory for the youngsters Stuart and George and a 7-6, 6-0 result for the more experienced Jeff and Martyn.

Playing their first match of the summer season, newly promoted Andover Men C had a hard fought match against local rivals Goodworth Clatford in Division 3 of the Basingstoke and District League. The second pairing of John Chaffey and Jon Lee never really got going, losing all four sets 6-1 which placed the onus on John Mathias and captain John Snowden to win all four to earn a draw. They started well, with Snowden serving well and Mathias's more aggressive ground strokes, beating the Goodworth first pair, 6-1, 6-3.

The match against the second pair was a tense affair as Mathias and Snowden squeezed a 7-6 tie break victory in the first set but their more consistent opponents took the final set to deserve an overall victory 5-3.

l The Mens' D team lost their first match to Preston Candover 8-0 although the score does not reflect the close fought games. Andover players were Les Gordon and Andy Fletcher and Justin Basey with Luke Warren (playing his first seniors match for the club). Their second match was an 8-0 walkover as Old Basing could not field a team.

In the Sarum Mixed League, Andover A faced their toughest test so far at Salisbury. Martyn Isherwood and Claire Coomer, playing as the second mixed pair, won their rubber 6-1, 6-3. The Andover pair both played consistently well throughout with Claire's deep and accurate groundstrokes creating volleying opportunities for Martyn at the net.

In the first mixed rubber, Helen Eckersley and Anthony Brown played exceptionally well to win the first set 6-3. This match of hard aggressive hitting did not contain many rallies and was a very tactical battle. In the second set the fortunes were reversed with Salisbury taking it but with Andover 3-1 up after the first round they were well poised to win the match. Anthony and Martyn won the doubles 6-4, 6-4 and Claire and Helen halved the ladies' doubles 6-2, 2-6 to take the match 6-2.

In Division 2, the Sarum B team beat Goodworth Clatford 5-3 but lost 7-1 to Salisbury B. Against Goodworth Clatford, Paul Jenner won both sets in the mixed and went on to play well with Barry Austin in a hard fought men's where again both sets were won.

Claire Reid and Lizzy Austin played well in the ladies taking a set that clinched the match. Unfortunately, the team could not reproduce this form on a wet and miserable evening against Salisbury.

l In Division 1 of the Basingstoke League, the Ladies beat Goodworth Clatford 5-3 in a close game. Ultimately the strength of Claire Coomer and Helen Eckersley proved decisive as they comfortably won all four sets. Victoria Brynell and Glynis Chambers lost to Paula Wiseman and Rowena Thorne despite racing to 5-1 in the first set. Against Gilly Edwards and Ann Viney, Victoria and Glenys clinched the first set 6-2 to seal the win. In fading light, Goodworth Clatford fought back well to take the second set 6-4. On the same evening the Ladies B beat Old Basing 5-3.

10:53am Thursday 15th May 2008

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