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Portsmouth & Southsea captain Ben Saunders took another five wickets as his side celebrated winning a Southern Premier League title.

P & S claimed their 15th win in 17 Division 3 fixtures by skittling Gosport Borough for a double-figure score to win by 104 runs at St James’.

Saunders is now well clear in the race to finish as the division’s leading wicket-taker with just one game remaining.

A week after bagging 5-47 in the defeat to Langley Manor - promoted alongside P & S to the third tier - Saunders claimed 5-10 as Gosport were routed for 88.

Gosport bowler Ollie Caswell leaps high in the air before delivering the ball at Portsmouth & Southsea. Picture: Mike Cooter

The right-arm spinner now has 43 victims, six more than Langley’s Simon Peters who the previous week had roared through the P & S order to finish with 8-17.

Matt Benfield (32) was the only batter in the home top five to reach double figures as P & S slumped to 85-5 and 111-6 (Sampath Prathapasinghe 3-32, Tyrel Chicot 3-34).

Tom Benfield, batting at No 6, top scored with 42 while Gosport also conceded 30 wides - Ollie Caswell (15) and Chicot (12) accounting for most of them - in a total of 39 extras as P & S were bowled out for 192.

In reply, Gosport openers Lee Harrop (21) and Denzel James (11) put on 30.

Joy for Gosport bowler Muhammad Ali as he takes a wicket against Portsmouth & Southsea. Picture: Mike Cooter

Havant on receiving end of Tom Morton’s record-breaking innings in a Southern Pr...

But Jake Peach (2-26) dismissed both within three runs of each other, and the rest of the Boro order collapsed.

All 10 wickets ended up falling for 58 runs with Saunders dismissing skipper Jacob Harris and Chicot for ducks en route to figures of 10-5-10-5.

At the other end of the table, Purbrook - long since condemned to be playing Hampshire League cricket in 2023 - suffered their 17th consecutive loss when they were beaten by Havant 2nds.

Portsmouth & Southsea's Matt Benfield top scored in his side's title-clinching win against Gosport Borough. Picture: Mike Cooter

They will go into their final fixture next weekend hoping to avoid the ignominy of losing every single SPL game of the season.

And the fixture list hasn’t been at all kind - they must attempt to claim a first win of 2022 at champions Portsmouth & Southsea!

In their latest reverse, Purbrook were bowled out for 167 after losing the toss.

James Scutt top scored with 44 while No 7 Nick Cox (29 not out) ran out of partners against the bowling of Steven Matthews (3-30) and Ali Gardner (3-39).

Andrew Galliers struck an unbeaten 82 in reply as Havant coasted to an eight-wicket success in the 35th over.

Another five-star display by skipper Saunders as Portsmouth & Southsea celebrate winning Southern Premier League title