Marong had been 9-160 when Ede joined Anderson at the crease, with the pair adding 59 more runs to give the Panthers a score of 219 to defend this week.

Anderson scored 39, while Ede finished 25 not out.

Marong had been 3-115 during its innings, but a flurry of wickets saw the Panthers lose 6-45, before the Anderson-Ede partnership.

The Panthers’ collapse was sparked by Golden Gully’s Shaun O’Shea, who took 5-39 off 17 overs.

O’Shea’s wickets included those of the competition’s leading run-scorer, Scott Ross (20), and Richard Murphy (14), who was coming off back-to-back centuries in his past two games.

The Cobras are 0-16 off four overs in their chase.

● Spring Gully opener Jaryd Wishart smashed 156 in the Crows’ score of 296 against Axe Creek.

Wishart’s century led a strong recovery by the Crows after they had been 2-8 following the dismissals of Des Gilmore (0) and Jarrod Quirk (5).

Also helping the Crows out of trouble was captain Ricky Mannix (41), who put on 87 for the third wicket with Wishart.

Wishart’s superb innings ended when he was the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 263.

Ten different bowlers were used by Axe Creek, with opener Nick Skeen picking up 3-53 off 12 overs.

Wishart’s 156 was the third score above 150 in the EVCA this season, behind Marong’s Scott Ross (283 n.o.) and United’s Alexander Collins (158).

● Sedgwick’s Sam Alcock spun his way to seven wickets against Emu Creek.

Alcock bagged 7-55 off 19 overs in Emu Creek’s score of 246.

Saturday was the second major haul of wickets for the season for Alcock after he also took 8-113 against Marong in round four.

Alcock now has 28 wickets for the season at an average of 18.5.

Emu Creek openers David Thompson (58) and Brad Rowe (55) both scored half-centuries as they put on 114 for the first wicket.

Both Thompson and Rowe were among Alcock’s seven wickets.

● West Bendigo has given itself a chance of being the first team this season to defeat United.

The Redbacks dismissed the Tigers for 173 in what was United’s first score this season of less than 200.

The Redbacks’ Matt Dwyer was crucial in keeping the pressure on the Tigers as he took 5-38 off 16 overs.

The Tigers were 3-101 during their innings, but lost their way in the middle-order when the Redbacks took 5-32.

Joshua Filo made 64 for the Tigers, while Patrick Hartney (24) and Rod Smyth (25 n.o.), batting at No.9 and 10, were the only other players to pass 20.

The Redbacks will resume their chase this Saturday at 1-46, with Travis O’Connell (3) the batsman dismissed.

● Mandurang blasted 294 against Maiden Gully.

Opener Matt Giri dominated the Maiden Gully bowlers with 84, following on from the 114 he made against Emu Creek two rounds ago in his only other first XI innings this season.

Giri put on 60 for the first wicket with Cain Ladiges (24) and 96 for the second wicket with captain Warrick Behrens (41).

Rob Brown toiled hard for Maiden Gully, taking 5-47 off 17 overs.