MALDON got back to winning ways by securing a comfortable seven-wicket win at Elmstead in Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship Division One.

Bowling first on a responsive pitch, Jack Riley and Gary Bannister bowled well at the start without success.

It was left to Tasmanian Robb Macmillan to provide the opening breakthrough.

Partnerships developed for Elmstead, but skipper Martyn Coker (3-46) and Macmillan (2-43) kept chipping away at the opposition.

Bannister returned to the attack later in the innings to remove Elmstead’s captain Dan White, who hit a 22-ball 47.

This proved to be a crucial, as the latter part of the innings saw Maldon pick up regular wickets.

Bannister finished with excellent figures of 4-46, giving Maldon hopes of chasing a target of 255.

In reply, openers Chris Harris (68) and Jimmy Ainscough (75) constructed Maldon’s first century partnership of the season, which set Maldon on their way to chasing the required runs.

Once both departed with the score at 167-2, it was left to Macmillan to guide the team home, with the required rate just under seven runs per over.

Together with a 57-ball 62 and Coker’s quick-fire 24, Maldon closed out the game with nine balls to spare. This win takes Maldon up to ninth in the table, and shall look to build on this good performance when they host Coggeshall at Drapers Farm on Saturday.