DUNMOW Cricket Club’s unbeaten Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division two run finally came to an end with a comprehensive defeat by Elmstead.

The excellent starts of the previous two weeks were not repeated by Dunmow, with three batsmen back in the pavilion with the score only on 25.

Ollie Rooney survived an unsteady opening period before making a very well made 58, but he was unable to find a partner who could stay with him for any reasonable period of time and they were all out in only the 30th over for 115.

An early breakthrough was needed to give Dunmow any chance of defending such a small total and Matt Gibson duly delivered, claiming the wickets of Aiden O’Brien and Kashif Nizami both for nought.

The low target gave the batsmen freedom to play their shots, though, and Graeme Butcher made 52 not out to lead Elmstead to victory.

Gibson did claim another wicket on his way to figures of three for 41 and Alex Rix, making his first-team debut, got another, but they couldn't prevent the hosts running out easy winners by six wickets.

Saturday sees the final game of the league season, as Dunmow firsts host Ipswich and East Suffolk and their league-winning seconds travel to Eight Ash Green, the only side who have beaten them this season.