Dunmow moved to a fourth game unbeaten with a comprehensive victory against a Long Melford side that had inflicted a defeat against them earlier in the season.

Inserted on a good-looking wicket, Dunmow got off to an excellent start.

Luke Swanston and Tom Pierson-McGeorge continued their good work from last week’s win at Mildenhall 2nds with an outstanding opening stand of 165 in 28 overs.

Both batsmen scored aggressively on both sides of the wicket, and while an injury to opening bowler Bill Byford did not help the home team, the pair made batting look easy before falling for 79 and 80 respectively.

A duck for Joe Gallant aside, the batsmen continued to put the hosts’ bowlers to the sword.

Ollie Rooney made an unbeaten 52, Mark Rosewell 33 and George Gallant 42 not out, including three enormous sixes with two in the final over, to move Dunmow to an imposing 309 at tea.

Wade (1-69), Sturgeon (2-100) and Newman (2-67) took the wickets on a difficult day in the field.

Chasing down such a total was always going to be a challenge, made harder almost immediately when Matt Gibson had skipper Brett caught at the wicket for a duck in the third over.

In fact, this followed a drop at slip of batsman Stace who would go on to take full advantage of his good fortune over the course of the rest of the innings.

On an outfield that was so quick, anything that beat the infield went the boundary, runs were quite easy to come by.

Although Gibson claimed a second wicket in the ninth over, and Steve Hamlin (2-44) two in relatively quick succession, the score continued to build, despite regular bowling changes, with Stace moving to a well- made 113 not out in the 44th over.

There was a wicket for Baz Sewell (1-44) and Gibson (3-38) claimed a third in the final over to give Dunmow an additional bonus point and 18 overall and leave Long Melford well short of the target and looking over their shoulder at the wrong end of the table.

On Saturday Dunmow host Lakenheath.

Division Nine South leaders Dunmow 2nds were without a league game on Saturday.

They return to action this weekend in a top of the table clash as they travel to second-placed Colchester Cavaliers.