by Samuel Laffy
Catani (7/150) def. Garfield-Tynong (9/148)
There's a level of experience within Catani's division three side that no matter how dire the situation seems, the Cats are only a whisker away from a stunning fightback.
Saturday's three-wicket win over Garfield-Tynong acted as further proof of this as Brayden Hall and Bradley McDonald combined for a breathtaking unbeaten eighth-wicket stand.
Chasing the Titans' 9/148 - a total made possible thanks to a resolute 32 from Jack Salan and a punchy 26 from Aaron Braaksma - Catani were in dismal shape early as Phill Young (3/19 off 8) and Darren Van Den Berghe (3/16 from 8) ran riot with the new ball.
Wickets continued to tumble as the likes of Bailey Sporish (13), Jackson Bennett (7) and Leigh Jose (7) were sent on their way and at 7/84 the Cats were staring down the barrel of a hefty loss.
However, after the wicket-taking duo were bowled out, Hall (who finished on an even 50* from just 47 balls) and McDonald (a rapid 21*) took advantage.
Mixing clever manipulation of the field with some brutal blows, the pair ransacked 66 runs in the blink of an eye, their stand catapulting Catani to victory in the 39th over.
Ellinbank (2/111) def. Neerim District (110)
Kody Wilson's return for the Stags would no doubt have buoyed hopes of Neerim District supporters, but even his contributions couldn't stop Ellinbank as the Eagles took home an emphatic eight-wicket win.
Wilson - who struck an excellent run-a-ball half-century in the middle order - combined with Travis McCann to boost Neerim early in their innings.
But the pressure applied by Sam Ferguson (2/24), Chris Pallot (2/26) and Timothee Mashado (3/6) proved too much for the Stags' lower order and they were bundled out for 110 in the 35th over.
In reply, Adam Campbell (49*) and Brayden Rintoule (a wonderful 40-ball 47) set about quickly chasing down the target, the pair's 72-run opening stand putting the result beyond doubt.
Kody Wilson snared 2/31 to somewhat stymie the flow of runs, but he lacked incisive support from the rest of Neerim District's attack.
Jindivick (3/116) def. Western Park (110)
A horrific top order collapse put paid to Western Park's hopes of success in their encounter with Jindivick as the Jumping Jacks claimed a seven-wicket win.
Dale Fawcett (who notched a second consecutive duck, despite claims an early leg-bye came off the bat) and Sam Cheeseman (whose half-hearted pull stroke saw him also removed without scoring) set the tone early for the Warriors' innings, with a procession of ill-advised shots - or in Jack Allen's case, a misjudged leave that saw his middle stump pegged back - seeing the scoreboard read 7/39.
To this point, Harrison Moore (4/16 off 8) and Tharindu Wathudura (3/14 from 8) were virtually unplayable for the Jumping Jacks, and it was doubtful that Western Park would even post a somewhat competitive total.
However, Marc Fleming - who overcame a mid-pitch tumble that reduced the entire field to fits of laughter - struck a glorious 56* to help push the Warriors to 110 before they were dismissed.
Allen (1/21 from 6) and Jack Walsh (2/28 in a fiery return from injury) did their best to inspire a comebackm but after copping a vicious blow to the sternum Ben Giles (a powerful 57*) and Sean Viotto (a composed 22*) quickly knocked off the required runs, a punishing six from Giles over mid-wicket sealing victory in the 24th over.
Warragul (2/80) def. Trafalgar (79)
Amandeep Singh's all-round masterclass helped Warragul take out an eight-wicket win over Trafalgar, the Gulls' captain proving to be unstoppable with both bat and ball.
Having bided his time as Steve Asmussen (an 87-ball 20) and Shane White (a handy 12) saw off tough spells from Kieran Morton (an excellent haul of 3/11) and Tejvir Singh Malhi (who went for just 11 runs from his eight overs), Singh sliced through the Ships' middle and lower order on his way to 4/9, with his wicket-taking ways seeing Trafalgar dismissed for just 79.
He then set about making short work of the run chase, putting together a typically aggressive salvo that quickly put Trafalgar's bowlers on the back foot.
Taking advantage of anything slightly short or wide, Singh's 47-ball 51* saw the required runs reached in just the 16th over.
Longwarry (164) def. Iona (147)
Lachlan Willis' five-wicket haul helped Longwarry snatch victory over Iona in their division three clash, with the Crows roaring back from the brink to claim a 17-run win.
Having posted 164 - a total made possible thanks to a superb 67 from Randall Mitchell and a spritely 33 from Ali Sarosh - it seemed that Longwarry was well short of what was required as Sam Graz (31) and Michael Taylor (a 56-ball 49) confidently combined.
The likes of Sarosh (1/28), Rohail Rafat (1/22) and Zac Wright (2/18) have troubled many a batting line-up, but it seemed their efforts wouldn't be enough as the Swamp Tigers made their way to 2/122.
However, as many a grizzled veteran has muttered, cricket is a funny game, and Taylor's dismissal - his stumps disturbed by Willis on the verge of a half-century - triggered an almighty collapse.
Batter after batter came and went in a procession of failure, with the middle and lower order finding scoring impossible.
Willis (who finished with 5/32 from 5.4 overs) was outstanding after being attacked early in his spell, as Iona were all out for 147 in the 35th over.