Well, kinda created a workaround - using the __EVENTTARGET parameter to look up clicked paging control and setting the CurrentPagingItemIndex value from the control's CommandName.

I guess the problem is that the Web Part Framework stuff surrounding the PageList prevents finding the control, thus no paging is activated. It may be due to the fact that the paging controls don't exist before the DataBind() method call, I actually needed a double dataBind() call (a second call after the actual page no. was set).

Reflector is my friend, and after a few hours of browsing EPiServer / EpiCode disassembled sources it was doable.

My last question, of course, is whether this story seems plausible or if it's just me missing some obvious thing....