FOR the third time this season, Witham Cricket Club skittled a rival Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship side out for less than 100 and then bludgeoned the Mistley bowling attack into submission to go top of the division one table.

It was a completely dominant display from Witham and a win built on a bowling performance that saw the Swans all out for just 93, before their top-order batsmen unleashed a torrent on the home side and and blasted their way over the line in just 46 balls.

The win extended Witham's winning run to six games and took them to the top of the division one standings ahead of a home game against Maldon on Saturday.

Skipper Jake Wakelin said: "It was another comprehensive win, but it's honestly difficult to know what to say about this one as it was one of the strangest performances from an opposing team that I've ever seen.

"Carl Bragg and Ben McKendry bowled pretty tightly and they just kept losing wickets. "We got their overseas pro (Khalipha Cele), who is the division's leading run scorer, out cheaply as he was caught down the leg side; there may be some who say that's unlucky but with him gone their top order didn't stick around.

"They were 23 for seven and it was just strange.

"It wasn't as if it felt like we were beating the bat with every ball, although we did take some very good catches, including a couple of excellent ones by Kaan (Hawes) behind the wicket.

"They just didn't seem to apply themselves and with the bowling attack that we have, that's dangerous because once we get early wickets then we have the ability to get into teams.

"There was one steady partnership late on, but it was a low total to be chasing.

"Carl Bragg was brilliant with the new ball and just didn't miss a line or length, Ben McKendry bowled very well and then Ken McClure, myself and Greg Stephens could come in with spin and keep it tight."

But if the bowling display had been impressive from Witham, the real fireworks started after tea when, with rain threatening, they reached their target in just 46 balls.

"When we came off for tea, there was some steady drizzle," added Wakelin. "We were looking at the forecast and it didn't look too clever so we decided to go for it. "Michael Godwin has been our rock this year, but we moved the order around so I came in alongside Chris Huntington as we felt we should go for quick runs as it was so important to push for the full 20 points rather than potentially miss out from a good position because of the weather.

"We knew then that if we did lose a few wickets, we would have someone like Michael Godwin to come in and steady things and that allowed myself and Chris, who are quite aggressive anyway, to be ultra-aggressive.

"It worked as Chris hit 18 off the first seven balls before getting out, but I hit 45 off 19 and Ken McClure hit 27 and we knocked the runs off in 7.4 overs."