Middle order pair dig Portsmouth & Southsea out of a hole to maintain Southern Premier League winning run – after skipper Saunders bags five-wicket haul

It’s now 10 wins out of 10 for P & S after a six-wicket Division 3 victory over Havant 3rds once again underlined their fourth tier title credentials.

Chasing 164 for victory, the hosts were in a spot of trouble at St James’ Hospital at 68-4 with top scorers Jack Davies and Matt Benfield both back in the pavilion.

But Bollom and Tom Benfield - batting at Nos 5 and 6 respectively - shared a match-winning, unbroken fifth wicket stand of 96.

Bollom struck nine fours in his undefeated 58, while Benfield hit three fours and a six in his 27 not out.

P & S captain Ben Saunders had earlier bagged his second best league figures after Havant had chosen to bat (a brave decision bearing in mind P & S have more bonus bowling points than anyone else in the SPL).

Saunders took 5-47 as the visitors lost wickets at regular intervals to be bowled out for 163 (Keiron Dunstan 3-47). Saunders’ best haul remains his 6-27 against Tichborne Park last year.

Simon Loat (38), Ben Turk (34) and opener Andrew Galliers (20) and Pete Hayward (26 not out) were Havant’s main contributors.

*Gosport Borough’s decision to bat first against Sway backfired when they suffered an eight-wicket caning in the New Forest.

Jon Waller bagged 4-43 - including dismissing Scott Taylor and Viv Richards for ducks - as Borough sagged to 58-5.

Jacob Harris, who the previous week had blasted 158, Gosport’s highest SPL score of the 21st century, managed just 12 this time.

Tyrel Chicot smashed five fours and two sixes in an 18-ball 40 but the visitors were dismissed for 133 (Jon Grasham 3-28).

Opener Will Crossley (1) departed early, but Sway were guided home thanks to a 114-run second wicket stand between skipper Tim Noble (66) and Greg Jones (41 not out).

Their seventh win in 10 games kept them second and on course for back-to-back promotions following last year’s Hampshire League elevation.

*Jahanzeb Habib struck his highest score for Purbrook - but still couldn’t help his side avoid a 10th successive Southern Premier League defeat.

The former US Portsmouth player hit six fours and five sixes in his 82 against Trojans at Stoneham Lane.

Aaron Dean (45), Ijaz Tarakhail (30) and James Gurney (29) also got going, but the visitors were all out for 232 to lose by 37 runs.

Opener Syed Agha (70), Syed Mahmood (56) and No 8 Jamie Donaldson (51 not out) had helped Trojans post 267-8 after they had been inserted.

Purbrook failed to help themselves, conceding 29 wides in a total of 46 extras - and those ‘free’ runs proved crucial.

Purbrook skipper Brad Mengham returned impressive figures of 10-3-19-3, but his side are now 67 points adrift of third bottom Trojans - the bottom two go down - and are staring a drop into the Hampshire League in the face.