STAND-IN skipper Dave Banks launched a verbal broadside at his under-performing BAT Sports team on Saturday.

The ECB Southern Electric Premier League champions had tumbled to a 57-run defeat against new leaders Portsmouth at St Helen's, Southsea.

And Banks fumed: "We didn't show anywhere near enough application - particularly with the bat - and some players seem to think we can still get by on what was achieved last season."

Banks had just seen BAT bowled out for 145 by Portsmouth, who are now in pole position after winning three of their opening four games.

Ironically, last season Portsmouth came within a gnat's whisker of being relegated - but they have come back with a much-changed team with a greater determination to succeed.

Indeed, Lee Savident has introduced so many new faces in his dressing room - at least three of them from the city university - that not everyone seemed to know exactly who their teammates were!

BAT could not have wished for a better start after Savident had won the toss in the Southsea sunshine.

Dan Goldstraw trapped Eastern Province left-hander Carl Bradfield leg before with the first ball of the day to leave the South African wondering what exactly he has to do to score any runs in Premier League cricket.

"I've had three knocks now and haven't managed to get ten runs in total yet," he sighed. "It can't get any worse than this, though the ball I got was not one you'd ideally want first up."

When Goldstraw (2-27) pitched a subsequent ball on leg stump and hit Ben Thane's off-stump, Portsmouth were rocking at 16-2.

But university student Sam Lavery dug in and, with Savident (23) alongside, began to redress the balance.

Savident looked to be in a rich vein of form, hitting four cultured boundaries in a 22-ball knock.

But, as he has done so often in an enigmatic career, the tall, unkempt Channel Islander holed out to mid-on - just when he looked set for a big score.

Hampshire YC's starlet Michael Barnes (27) added 51 with Lavery but he too got out just at the wrong time - the first of three victims for Southampton Institute left-armer James Legodi, who finished with a pleasing 3-36 return on debut.

After Lavery was run out having grafted a two-hour 61, Portsmouth slid to 141-7.

Fordingbridge teenager James Manning, who has begun to impose himself in the early games, struck a timely 27 - only to chase a wide one and be caught at short third-man. Manning's departure and Paul Ancell's subsequent run out left Portsmouth on a perilous 168-9.

Ironically, Portsmouth had brought the collapse largely on themselves, as BAT's out-cricket had fallen well short of last season's high standards.

But Pete Hayward used his head - and his experience - to score 28 precious runs in a last-wicket stand with student Gary Cummings, which yielded a valuable 34.

Enough to take Portsmouth's score to 202 all out.

BAT were quietly confident they would notch a third successive win. But, just like Portsmouth three hours earlier, their innings got off to the worst possible start.

Neal Parlane, who shattered Robin Smith's long standing Southern League run record last summer, fell leg before to Manning for nought second ball.

Like Bradfield earlier, Parlane must be wondering when his next big knock is due.

He has managed only 37 runs in three innings here this summer - that meagre tally following on an injury-ravaged winter in New Zealand.

Hindered by a nagging back complaint - Parlane contributed only 123 runs in 11 innings towards Wellington's Shell Shield triumph.

"Neal's a class act," comforted Banks. "Someone will pay for that - probably pretty soon."

BAT are hoping that Banks's words come true because, after Graham Noble (28) and Richard Kenway (20) had put on 52, the innings disintegrated.

Savident (3-30) bowled well initially, removing Noble and the in-form Banks before giving way to Hayward (2-17) and Ancell (3-17), who employed highly effective "come and hit me" tactics.

BAT dropped to 84-6 and, after token resistance from Nigel Bungay (25), were dismissed for a disappointing 145 - some way behind Portsmouth's target.

Their performance was way short of championship standard and, if Richard Dibden is fit enough to resume the captaincy reins against Bashley (Rydal) on Saturday, he'll have some serious pre-match talking to do.

Banks growled: "We won against Bournemouth and Old Tauntonians & Romsey - but largely because I got runs in both the games."

Portsmouth, on the other hand, are sitting pretty at the top, two points ahead of Bournemouth, whom they visit at the weekend. Who knows, if they all get to know one another in the dressing room, they might even threaten BAT's crown.