OPENER Sam Collins and Dorset’s Tom Jacques set the standard as Parley maintained their relentless march to the title with a 54-run win over reigning champions Wimborne & Colehill.

Collins (82) and Jacques (89) shared a second-wicket stand of 144 as Roshan Embalagama’s men chalked up a 12th successive Premier League victory at Dean Park.

Their partnership was the mainstay of Parley’s 270 for nine, the pair coming together after Mark Morley had fallen cheaply with the score on 19.

Ash Collison (2-42) finally made the breakthrough when he had Jacques caught by Graham Cole before Will Hendy (35*) added some late runs.

Chris Dunk (2-31) added to his pair of wickets by running out Dominic Clutterbuck while Max Collins (3-47) struck at either end of the order.

However, Parley’s total proved a bridge too far for the Minstermen who could only muster 216 in response.

Joe Weld (81) gave the visitors hope but was caught and bowled by home skipper Embalagama (3-18) who was in fine form with the ball.

Weld put 80 on for the fourth wicket with Collison (28) before Parley’s Robbie Gunn (3-49) supplied the ammunition for Sam Collins’ catch before Embalagama and Gunn finished off the visitors.

It was the Leaze outfit’s fourth reverse in five Premier League matches and sixth defeat of the campaign, with their grip on the silverware loosened further by this latest setback.

Elsewhere, Swanage slipped to a three-wicket defeat at the hands of Winton, despite a century from opening batsman Mike Salmon.

Salmon hit an unbeaten 102, including an 88-run opening partnership with Matt Thomas (37), before the latter was caught on the boundary while attempting a big hit.

This led to a middle-order collapse and the hosts were reeling at 145 for five before a brief recovery was supplied by Ricky King’s 40-run partnership with Salmon.

Mike Haines (21*) then joined the party to edge Swanage towards a total of 218 for seven but a wonderful start for Winton soon put the hosts on the back foot.

The visitors appeared to be cruising to victory at 91 for one with Chris Dobson providing an unbeaten 60 before Mike Kitson (50) and Sunjeeth Daini (48) maintained a high run-rate.

And despite a middle-order wobble following Daini’s departure, Winton managed to battle their way to victory, surpassing their hosts’ total at 219 for seven in the penultimate over.