The battle of Seymour enjoyed its second staging of 2021-22, as Eastern Hill welcomed the Maroons to Kings Park Reserve, with bragging rights once again on the table.
Coming into this clash with a perfect 6-0 record and sitting pretty on top of the table, the Eagles were keen to use this opportunity to solidify themselves as the team to beat heading into the run to finals.
Seymour, on the other hand, was hoping a new year would mean a fresh beginning as it looked to end a two-game losing streak.
Winning the toss and batting first, the Maroons looked to put early pressure on their highly fancied opponents by putting an imposing score on the board.
But Eastern Hill is on the top of the table for a reason and immediately showed its class courtesy of scintillating opening spells by Ben Bryant (2-16) and Nick Dundon (2-20), to have the Maroons in a world of trouble at 5-36.
The side was seemingly destined for another double-figure total, but number four Lachlan Drummond had other ideas, compiling one of the most impressive innings of the season to keep his team afloat.
With chaos ensuing all around him, Drummond stood up to the pressure and then counter-punched, finding the boundary on five occasions on his way to a brilliant 67.
One of two Maroons players to pass 10, his efforts alone lifted them to a total of 109, giving the bowlers at least something to bowl at.
Tasked with a tricky 110 for victory, it was a nervy start for the Eagles with both openers departing in the early stages to leave them vulnerable at 2-18.
That brought the in-form Ben Bryant to the crease and he went about salvaging the innings with captain Seamus Feery.
Putting on a crucial 37-run stand, Feery was the star of the show as he took control of the innings and saw his side home with a pivotal 34 not out.
In the dying stages the skipper was joined by Oliver Bryant, who wanted to ensure proceeding ended quickly, smashing a quick 30 to see Eastern Hill home inside 30 overs.
Reigning premiers Yea Tigers began 2022 brightly with a thrilling 15-run win over Broadford.
Looking to find its mojo after an indifferent first half of the season, this performance will instil a large amount of confidence and belief in the Yea side as it rose to fourth position on the A-grade ladder.
Winning the toss and batting first at Harley Hammond Reserve, Yea began strongly with Marc Steiner forming a fantastic foundation with a well-constructed 40.
He was given fantastic support through the middle order by the likes of Cameron Armstrong (17) and Paul Hildebrand (27 not out), as Yea powered to a defendable total of 132.
Needing a fantastic bowling effort to secure the much-needed victory, Andrew Chisholm (5-19) and Biron Hardinge (3-12) delivered for the Tigers, causing chaos with the new ball to have Broadford in complete disarray at 5-23.
Mitchell Collier survived the early destruction and went about trying to resurrect the run chase alongside Jeremy Bradshaw, each making 29 as they put on a 56-run stand to keep their side alive.
But the premiership experience of Yea once again came to the fore, as Chisholm came back on and wrapped up the tail to secure a crucial victory.
Tallarook rounded out the A-grade action with a vitally important 36-run win over Kilmore.
Tallarook captain Lachlan Watts was the star of the day, coming in at number three and striking an exquisite 95 to lift his side to an imposing total of 5-194.
Tasked with a daunting chase to come away with a post-Christmas victory, Kilmore started brightly and did its best to keep up with the run rate courtesy of Kevin Craddock’s 48.
But it wasn’t enough, as a consistent fall of wickets resulted in a build of pressure the Kilmore batters simply couldn’t overcome as they were bowled out for a respectable 158.
In B-Grade, Pyalong got over Seymour by 78 runs courtesy of a phenomenal bowling effort that restricted the Maroons to a total of just 32.
Jarryd Ruddick and Damien Zoch were the stars taking three wickets each, as Seymour’s innings lasted just 23.4 overs.
Other results saw Alexandra account for Kilmore and Puckapunyal crush Eastern Hill, while the match between and Avenel and Broadford was abandoned.
