GRANT Mather produced a inspired all-round performance to guide Bournemouth to a 46-run win over Andover at Chapel Gate and set up a second consecutive ECB Southern Electric Premier League victory.

The South African born all-rounder top scored with 43 and later wrecked Andover's lower-order with a spell of 5-20.

It enabled Bournemouth to defend 177 - a position that appeared in some doubt while former Sussex and Middlesex batsman Toby Radford remained at the crease.

"Grant played a very influential role," said Bournemouth teammate Martin Miller.

"He played a very important innings with the bat and later produced a match-winning spell with the ball - and two took catches in the bargain."

Bournemouth needed Richard Scott's experience to guide them through choppy waters early on - Nick Park and Martin Miller having fallen cheaply before Neil Harrison-Smith (19) joined his captain.

John Walsh, with figures of 1-19 off ten overs, was particularly effective.

The pair added a useful 40 against Andover's four-pronged seam attack before Harrison-Smith was run out.

When Scott (30) departed at 101-4 - the first of two scalps for teenager Luke Graham (2-51) - Mather needed to steady the ship.

He did it successfully too, raising Bournemouth's total to 150 before Richard Taylor (3-25) and Roger Miller (2-33) made inroads into the lower-order.

Bournemouth's last five wickets fell for 27 to leave the hosts defending 177.

Andover, who beat former champions Havant in a rain-cut opening match a fortnight ago, appeared well placed at 73-2 and later 107-3 when Mather was handed the ball.

Jerry Hayward promptly took 12 runs off his first over and, if he stayed at Radford's side, was surely going to be a thorn in Bournemouth's side.

But Radford, who struck a fine 57, watched in vain as Mather grabbed three wickets for nine runs and put Andover on the back foot.

When the former county batsman was well caught in front of third slip by Martin Miller off the returning Rob Hodgson (2-36) at 120-7, Andover's resistance effectively ended.

Like Bournemouth earlier, the late order gave way - Mather finishing with 5-20 off 6.1 overs as the last three wickets fell for 11 runs and Andover slumped to 131 all out.

"Overall it was another step in the right direction, but our batting still isn't firing and that's an area of our game that's got to improve if we are to challenge this summer," Miller said.