MIKE Adams took a career-best 8-19, as Andover beat Portsmouth in less than 30 overs at London Road last Saturday.

This was only the third time the seamer had taken five or more wickets.

His 8-19 was also just shy of the best ever spell of bowling in the Southern League Division One, which came from Calmore Sports' Mark Lavelle against Tichborne Park last year.

Nordlock sponsored Andover were put into the field by Portsmouth on what looked like a decent surface at London Road.

Asher Hart and Adams made immediate inroads into the fragile Portsmouth lineup, removing both openers with the score just on 12.

It was Adams who then went on to notch his career-best figures off 9.3 overs, with a devastating spell of swing bowling.

The paceman cleaned bowled four of his victims, had two trapped leg before, while two more were superbly caught behind by Matt Knight.

Skipper Matt Hooper was full of praise for the big opening bowler and said: "He has bowled well all season and has been unlucky not to get more wickets. It was a superb spell of bowling and won the game for us."

Portsmouth’s batsman failed to get to grips with the bowling with only one player hitting double figures.

At 38-9, they were thankful for some mild resistance in an entertaining last wicket partnership that dragged them to 59 all out. Glyn Treagus picking up the other wicket.

The run chase started in positive fashion with Ali Hooper blazing 17 off the first two overs before edging behind.

Treagus and Knight then fell in quick succession to leave Nathan Birks and Asher Hart to see the town side home.

Birks was particularly ruthless, creaming 23 runs mostly in boundaries whilst Hart played a watchful 14 not out, as Andover took nine overs to knocked off the required runs.

The following day, in the Southern League T20 Cup at Tichborne Park, they lost by just seven runs.

The home side posted 150-3 from their 20 overs with Thomas Allam top scoring with 58, while Treagus took two wickets.

There reply got off to bad start with Ali Hooper injured and their top three all out with only eight scored.

Luke Andrews (46) and Matt Hooper (57 not out) got them back into the game, but in the end they just fell short of their target.

Andover are back in the league action on Saturday, when they visit Sarisbury.