BASINGSTOKE and North Hants maintained fifth spot in the table, with a two-wicket victory in a low scoring game at Havant.

Visiting skipper Mitch Stokes won the toss and put the reigning Southern League Premier Division champions into bat.

It soon paid dividends as Martyn James (3-23) removed both openers Jeremy Bulled and Peter Hopson with only nine scored.

The Bountymen seamer struck again soon after, to remove Christopher Stone to leave the home side on 19-3.

With only nine more runs added Sibonelo Makhanya removed Henty Gadd, before Richard Hindley (13) and Christopher Morgan (21) pushed the score past 50.

Stokes then had Hindley trapped leg before and David Griffiths (2-20) did likewise to remove Morgan.

Havant’s top scorer Cameron Prentice (31) added useful lower order runs, but Stokes (4-27) removed the tail as the home side were all out for 95.

The Bountymen’s reply, started in the same vein as the visitors opener Dan Belcher and number three Craig Williamson were back in the pavilion, with only 19 scored thanks to Richard Jerry (3-30).

Ben Thane (10) and top scorer in the match Makhanya (35) took up the mantle and took the score to 42, before Thane departed.

Makhanya and Max Harsham moved the score to 63-3, before Richard Hindley (4-13) triggered a middle order collapse and suddenly the Bountymen were 69-7.

Jerry then removed Matt Thankachan to make it 81-8, but experienced pair Stokes (11) and James (5) saw them home with 25 overs to spare.

Next for the Bountymen is a home game against Alton.