Briggs close to maiden 1st XI ton as Portsmouth & Southsea colleague Davies takes seasonal average to 372!

Briggs struck his highest 1st XI score, just a six hit away from bringing up his century as P & S romped to an eight-wicket Division 3 win over Trojans at Stoneham Lane.

And Davies is now averaging a remarkable 372 in league and friendly cricket this year after his fourth not out in a row.

Asked to chase 198 for victory, P & S were 39-2 when Briggs was joined in the middle by Davies, who entered the game on the back of scores of 112 not out (v Purbrook, friendly), 101 not out (v Locks Heath, midweek league) and 50 not out (v Havant 2nds, league).

Davies proceeded to compile an unbeaten 73 this time, putting on an unbroken 161 as P & S - top of the embryonic fourth tier table - scorched to victory in the 33rd of a possible 50 overs. The last 81 of those 161 runs came in fewer than six overs, including 27 off one over.

Briggs hit 12 fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 94, while Davies stroked nine boundaries and three maximums.

Maxwell Goddard (2-23) and skipper Ben Saunders (2-24) had earlier helped dismiss their hosts with four balls of their innings remaining.

Some late blows from No 10 Luke Dimmick - two fours and two sixes - allowed Trojans to post 197 after they had slipped to 129-7. Dimmick was last man out, dismissed by Jono Willey (2-44).

*Gosport Borough were on the receiving end of an unbeaten century from teenager Matthew Falconer as they slumped to a second successive Division 3 loss.

Falconer hit 10 fours in an unbeaten 108 as South Wilts 2nds posted 229-5 at Lower Bemerton after winning the toss.

Sampath Prathapasinghe recorded Gosport’s best figures with the ball, 2-26 off 10.

In reply, Viv Richards strruck an SPL best 64, with 10 boundaries, and Mark Toogood hit 28 as an opener.

But Borough needed lower order runs from skipper Greg Kitchin (33) and No 8 Scott Taylor (26) to boost their total to 202-9.

*Purbrook are another side to have started the Division 3 season with back-to-back losses.

After skipper Sean Figgins elected to bat on winning the toss against Sway, his side were bowled out for 142.

Alex Cox - whose 51 was his second SPL half-century - was one of only three batters in double figures. Second highest was 37 extras, including 28 wides.

No 3 Figgins departed first ball, dismissed by opening bowler Jon Waller (4-26). And next man in, Brad Mengham, didn’t last much longer - also dismissed by Waller for a three-ball duck.

Sway, promoted from the Hampshire League in 2021, followed up their first-day win over Gosport by romping to a seven-wicket success.

Purbrook reduced them to 11-2 but keeper Alex Hall struck 12 boundaries in his unbeaten 71 off 77 deliveries.

*Havant 2nds have also lost their opening two Division 3 games, after accompanying Sway up from the Hampshire League.

Their top order - with one exception - failed to shine during a seven-wicket loss to Paultons at Havant Park.

Opener Andrew Ransley (39) top scored before he was run out as Havant were bowled out for 126 - the other five members of the top six managing just 14 runs between them.

Skipper Pete Hayward (22) and Harrison Bernard (19 not out) offered some resistance before the last three wickets clattered for a single run.

In reply, opener Callum Barton was in a hurry to get the job done. He smacked 11 fours and three sixes in a 39-ball 66 at the top of the order as Paultons reached their victory target in only the 18th over.