Britain and Ireland had the better of things for the second day running and now lead Continental Europe 6-4 at the Vivendi Trophy in Paris. Paul McGinley’s side, made underdogs before the start because six top players dropped out, are heading for a fifth successive victory in what used to be called the Seve Trophy.

Simon Dyson and Oliver Wilson had their second win - and fourth in five games since first being paired together two years ago - when they beat Henrik Stenson and Alvaro Quiros 2&1.

It was brilliant stuff from all four players. A birdie two on the last would have given the English pair a 12-under-par 59 and their opponents were nine under when it finished.

On Wednesday morning, Dyson was even a doubt for the match after contracting food poisoning but he has been one of the stars of the show so far.

“I was on death’s door,” said the Yorkshire player, who had only a slice of toast all day after being advised to stay in bed.

“I was not 100 per cent yesterday but today was good and we are gelling fantastically well. Paul asked who was my ideal partner and I said Ollie straightaway.”

Ryder Cupper Wilson, so down in the dumps about his game earlier this month that he pulled out of an event in Germany, commented: “It’s still not great but these weeks are different.

“You go with what you’ve got and with a partner there’s not quite so much pressure.”

Chris Wood and Anthony Wall, both of whom were drafted in because of the withdrawals, are also unbeaten, this time overcoming Miguel Angel Jimenez and Soren Kjeldsen 3&2.

That lacked the fireworks of their first-day drubbing of Stenson and Robert Karlsson but Wall sealed the win with a long bunker shot Nick Dougherty described as “unbelievable”.

By then Dougherty and Ross Fisher had hit back from their first-day loss to beat Soren Hansen and Peter Hanson 3&2.

That match was closed out in style as well when Fisher curled in a 25-footer for an eagle on the 541-yard 16th to move them to nine under.