Shaun Briggs and Jack Davies smack centuries as Portsmouth & Southsea take break from Southern League title charge to hammer Trojans in T20 Plate

Following Hambledon’s defeat last weekend, P & S are now the only team across the four divisions of the SPL to still boast a 100 per cent league record.

They are clear favourites to win the Division 3 title after registering 11 successive wins - mainly down to their deadly bowling attack.

But it was two batters who shone when P & S hammered divisional rivals Trojans in the T20 Plate, a competition for first round losers in the main T20 Cup tournament.

Opening pair Shaun Briggs and Jack Davies both struck centuries as the visitors piled up a huge 238-2 at Stoneham Lane in their 20 overs.

Briggs ended on 109 not out, with 11 fours and seven sixes off 56 balls. Davies, who faced one ball fewer, hit 15 fours and three sixes in his 102.

The pair shared an opening stand of 176 before Davies was dismissed by Piero Perera, whose three overs cost 49 runs.

It was Davies’ second T20 century, having struck 103 not out in the 2020 T20 Plate final defeat against Fair Oak.

Keiron Dunstan, a left-arm spinner, opened the bowling alongside Matt Wheeler and took 4-26 as Trojans were shot out for 118.

Remarkably, Trojans had also been dismissed for 118 the previous day when P & S extended their winning league run with a 119-run victory. A day later, the winning margin was 120 runs!

In the league, P & S are already 41 points clear of second-placed Sway. With the top two going up, they enjoy a 54-point advantage over third-placed Langley Manor.

A 12th league win in a row against Sway in the New Forest this weekend would be another huge boost for the club’s hopes of SPL third tier cricket for the first time in 2023.

So far this season, they have bowled out Trojans for 118, Havant 2nds for 116, Paultons for 109, Purbrook for 107, South Wilts 2nds for 102, Gosport for 88 and Basingstoke & North Hants 2nds for 57.

Captain Ben Saunders, who bowls off-spin, is joint-top wicket-taker in the division with 27, while Dunstan (20) and new ball regulars Jono Willey (18) and Jake Peach (16) are also among the top 10 in the section.

Seamer Maxwell Goddard, who moved to P & S from Waterlooville last year, completes the regular P & S attack.

‘We’ve got depth in our bowling and our batting,’ said Saunders.

‘I’ve said it before, but we’re coming of age now. We’re all the right age, we’re kicking on.

‘We’ve had a couple of years where we struggled in Division 3 and that brought us closer together. We’re a team of best friends.

‘We haven’t achieved anything yet. The next three or four weeks are massive for us.

‘I know it sounds boring, but we just have to take each game as it comes.’