DAVID Griffiths took four wickets in the space of 16 balls to send Portsmouth crashing to defeat at May’s Bounty.

The visitors were still in with a shout of completing the double of Basingstoke and North Hants, when the former Hampshire seamer returned for a second spell.

However, just two balls into it, he bowled the Pompey’s top scorer Aussie Fraser Hay for 28.

Four balls later, Griffiths struck again to remove Joe Kooker-Evans without scoring as Portsmouth slipped to 70-8.

The stumps were smashed again in the second ball of the Basingstoke’s bowler’s next over as Ethan Randall was bowled and Rueban McArdle suffered the same fate eight balls after this as the visitors were all out for 74.

This left Griffiths with figures of 6-12 with his second spell returning a superb 4-2.

His first two wickets came in his opening spell as along with Martyn James (3-27) they reduced the visitors to 37-5.

With only a target of 167 needed to win the Pompey side were still very much in the game as Hay and Alex Hammond took the total past 50.

The home side needed a breakthrough and it came from Chris Jolley in his first over as he bowled Hammond.

After this Griffiths took over to make sure Basingstoke kept alive their title hopes.

Earlier, in the contest, Portsmouth won the toss and elected to field and the home side made a solid start thanks to Dan Belcher (23) and Max Harsham (16) as they put on 44 for the first wicket.

However, the visitors hit back as both were dismissed in the space of six runs.

This forced the home side to build again and thanks to top scorer Mitch Stokes (36) and Chris Froud (15), they moved the score into three figures.

Stokes’ excellent knock of 33 balls, saw him hit the only six of the innings off Ethan Randall, but the Pompey bowler gained revenge as he had him trapped leg before.

Just two runs later Froud went the same way to Brad Bains.

From here on the Bountymen found it hard to get runs as they only added 24 between the 30th and 40th over, while losing three wickets.

David Griffiths (17) made the best score in lower order and then Martyn James batting at number 10 added a valuable 10 to take the final total to 166. He was one of three wickets for McArdle who finished on 3-24.

In the end the total proved enough as Portsmouth were bowled out for 74 as the Bountymen won by 92 run win.

Skipper Mitch Stokes said: “It was a slow pitch which was difficult to bat on and I felt we could defend 166, but did not think we would get them out for 74. I felt it was the right time to bring Griff (David Griffiths) when I did and he has ended up with six wickets.

Basingstoke will continue to keep the pressure up on leaders Calmore Sports who game was cancelled yesterday, when they travel to Tichborne this weekend