Andover seamer Mike Adams wrecked Portsmouth with figures of 8-19 – a career-best return which sent Southern Premier League Division 1 strugglers Portsmouth nose-diving to a seven-wicket defeat at London Road.
He ran amok, taking five of the first six wickets as Portsmouth lurched to 27-6 before being skittled for a club low 59 all out, Adams also grabbing the last three.
Hampshire’s Asher Hart removed former Academy left-hander Ben Duggan – one of three nicks to wicket-keeper Matt Knight – while Glyn Treagus made it 27-7 when he bowled James Moon.
At that stage Portsmouth, who lie second from bottom of the table with only one win from six matches, were facing the prospect of being shot out for the lowest total in SPL history – an unwanted record ironically held by their second team, who were dismissed for 29 by United Services in 2007.
But Reuben McArdle and two fellow tail-enders spared their blushes by doubling the final score to 59 before Adams finished them off.
It was only the third time in his career that Adams had taken five or more wickets in a match.
Andover’s run chase looked a straight-forward affair when openers Ali Hooper and Hart put on 26, but they contrived to lose three wickets before Canada-bound Peter Symonds College student Nathan Birks hit an unbeaten 23 to get them over the line.
The results left Jack Marston bemoaning a second consecutive batting collapse, saying: “We were pretty poor and this has to be the lowest point of the season for us..
“It’s all about applying ourselves in the opening ten overs. If we lose early wickets we have a soft underbelly and don’t have anyone prepared to fight it out. Our batsmen need to show a lot more backbone.”
The match lasted less than 30 overs, probably the quickest in Premier League history.
He ran amok, taking five of the first six wickets as Portsmouth lurched to 27-6 before being skittled for a club low 59 all out, Adams also grabbing the last three.
Hampshire’s Asher Hart removed former Academy left-hander Ben Duggan – one of three nicks to wicket-keeper Matt Knight – while Glyn Treagus made it 27-7 when he bowled James Moon.
At that stage Portsmouth, who lie second from bottom of the table with only one win from six matches, were facing the prospect of being shot out for the lowest total in SPL history – an unwanted record ironically held by their second team, who were dismissed for 29 by United Services in 2007.
But Reuben McArdle and two fellow tail-enders spared their blushes by doubling the final score to 59 before Adams finished them off.
It was only the third time in his career that Adams had taken five or more wickets in a match.
Andover’s run chase looked a straight-forward affair when openers Ali Hooper and Hart put on 26, but they contrived to lose three wickets before Canada-bound Peter Symonds College student Nathan Birks hit an unbeaten 23 to get them over the line.
The results left Jack Marston bemoaning a second consecutive batting collapse, saying: “We were pretty poor and this has to be the lowest point of the season for us..
“It’s all about applying ourselves in the opening ten overs. If we lose early wickets we have a soft underbelly and don’t have anyone prepared to fight it out. Our batsmen need to show a lot more backbone.”
The match lasted less than 30 overs, probably the quickest in Premier League history.
