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Jack Davies and Maxwell Goddard showed why they are topping the Southern Premier League’s individual performance tables as Portsmouth & Southsea extended their winning run.

Davies is the leading runscorer in the fourth tier of the SPL while Goddard and team-mate Jake Peach are joint top of the wicket-taking chart - Goddard having a slightly better average.

First, it was Davies to the fore with his fourth half-century in six Division 3 innings as P & S rattled up 257-6 after being inserted by Paultons.

Batting at No 4, Davies hit 14 fours and a six in making 88 off 68 balls, adding 80 for the third wicket with Peach (44.

Tom Benfield celebrates his 50 for Portsmouth & Southsea against Paultons. Picture by Tim Rogers

That followed Davies’ scores of 50 not out (v Sway), 73 not out (v Trojans) and 91 not out (v Sway) in his first three league games of 2022.

Tom Benfield then came in at No 6 to blaze his way to 60 off 34 balls - four fours and four sixes - for his highest league score since a career best 88 six years ago.

In reply, Jono Willey (3-20) quickly removed Paultons’ top three and it was 23-4 when Peach dismissed skipper Simon Ennew (3).

Goddard was introduced as second change, bagging 3-22 to take his seasonal league tally to 13 at 8.17 - compared to Peach’s 13 at 9.31. A third bowler, South Wilts’ Rob Pittman, also has 13 wickets (at 12.38).

Harman Chandhoke is bowled by Portsmouth & Southsea's Maxwell Goddard. Picture by Tim Rogers

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Paultons were rolled over for 109 to give P & S their sixth successive SPL victory.

They are already 29 points ahead of third-placed Sway, with the top two winning automatic promotion.

As for Davies, he now has 310 league runs at 103.33. Basingstoke 2nds’ Callum Coombs is next highest, with 283 at 70.75.

Portsmouth & Southsea's Jake Peach is dismissed. Picture by Tim Rogers.

At the other end of the table, Brad Mengham was close to a maiden SPL century as Purbrook suffered a sixth straight loss to remain anchored to the bottom.

Coming in at No 7, with his side 64-4 chasing 248 for victory, Mengham struck 14 fours and a six in his 89-ball 91.

His career league best remains the 93 he smacked for Purbrook in a Hampshire League victory against Burridge 2nds six years ago.

Mengham added 48 for the eighth wicket with James Gurney (12) and he was eventually the last man out with the score on 205.

Skipper George Hamson (31) was Purbrook’s second highest scorer at the top of the order.

Skipper Conor Browne (70) and Jack Budd (50) had earlier shared an opening stand of 100 as Langley posted 247-4 (Hamid Khan 2-33).

Six of the best as Portsmouth & Southsea maintain hot pace at the top of the Southern Premier League Division 3 table – but Purbrook suffer sixth straight defeat