Portsmouth & Southsea become first Southern Premier League club to win promotion – Harris hits another century for Gosport

And Ben Saunders’ men need just 10 points from their remaining three games to be crowned champions.

A 151-run thrashing of Paultons at St James’ was their 14th victory in 15 Division 3 fixtures this year.

Jack Davies leapt to the top of the fourth tier run charts with 86 as P & S rattled up 286-6 after winning the toss.

Davies, who came in at 7-2, thumped 10 fours and three sixes in his 82-ball knock, while opener Shaun Briggs (58) and Tom Benfield - 67 off 64 balls - also recorded half-centuries.

Matt Benfield then removed the Paultons top three cheaply as P & S took full control.

Among his victims was opener Paul Longland, who entered the game as the leading runscorer in the division but was bowled for just four.

Benfield finished with 3-32 while left-arm spinner Kieran Dunstan bagged 4-35 as Paultons, who had been reduced to 65-5, were bowled out for 135.

P & S can celebrate the title by beating second-placed Langley Manor next weekend.

At the other end of the table, Purbrook suffered their 15th successive loss of a miserable campaign.

They were thrashed by Langley Manor, losing by nine wickets after being routed for just 104. And the only got that far thanks to a 45-run stand for the last wicket between Hamid Khan (24 not out) and Alan Mengham (19).

Chief destroyers were Jamie Pipe (4-16) and Elliot Ponting (4-39). Opener Alex Cox (16) was the only other Purbrook batter to reach double figures.

Steve Harris (54 not out) helped Langley reach their small victory target in the 18th over.

A second league century of the season for Jacob Harris and a five-wicket haul from Tyrel Chicot helped Gosport Borough to victory over Havant 2nds.

Chicot bagged 5-33 - the fifth best figures in the fourth tier this year - with all his victims coming in Havant’s top six.

But thanks to 75 from skipper Steven Matthews, batting at No 7, and 40 from Simon Loat, Havant reached 211 before their last wicket fell.

Harris, batting at No 3, was in early when Denzel James was dismissed for a single.

He went on to score exactly 100 off 98 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes, before he was out with Gosport just 22 runs short of their target.

Harris had previously cracked an unbeaten 158 against Trojans at the beginning of July.

Skipper Lee Harrop (44) helped Harris add 129 for the second wicket before Chicot finished off proceedings by blasting a six off the first ball of the 41st over.