With Fitzpatrick bagging 8-29 off 19.2 overs, the Goers routed the Hawks for 116 at Axis Employment Oval.

Although, the Hawks fought back with the ball to give themselves a chance next Saturday as the Goers closed what was a day in which 14 wickets fell for 159 runs at 4-43.

Fitzpatrick took the first five wickets to fall – Matt Ford (9), Anthony West (0), Josh Collinson (6), Andrew Smith (12) and Matt Fitt (2).

At that stage he had 5-11 off 10 overs and the Hawks were on the ropes at 5-49.

He later dismissed Cameron McGlashan (4), Jordan Shelton (1) and debutante Josh Williams (0) to finish with bowling figures that, according to BDCA historian Darren Rodda’s records, are the best by a Goers’ player since Trevor Steer took 8-40 against California Gully in 1979-80.

Apart from Williams being caught by Shane Koop, Fitzpatrick’s other seven wickets were all unassisted – five bowled and two lbw.

The only batsmen Fitzpatrick didn’t dismiss were Shane Murdoch (34) and Hawks’ captain Cory Jacobs (30), who added 42 for the sixth wicket, with the pair facing 147 balls between them.

The other nine Eaglehawk batsmen faced a combined 145 balls, with the Hawks’ score of 116 coming after they had been bowled out for just 143 and 85 in their previous two games.

However, the evergreen Smith has bowled the Hawks back into the game, snaring 4-8 off 10 overs to leave the Goers needing 74 runs with six wickets in hand.

• Dylan Gibson took the last four wickets as Kangaroo Flat bowled Sandhurst out for 205 in the clash of the two unbeaten teams at Champions IGA Oval.

The Dragons – aiming to win four games in a row for the first time since 1986-87 – had been 6-193 before losing 4-12 to be all out in the 82^nd over, leaving 21 balls left unused in their innings.

Gibson – a former Dragon – finished with 4-16 off 6.3 overs to wrap up the Sandhurst innings, which had earlier got off to a rocky start.

After winning the toss and batting the Dragons quickly fell to 3-21, with Roos’ skipper Brent Hamblin (3-47) taking two early scalps.

The Roos still had the upper hand when they had the Dragons 6-102, before a 91-run partnership between Joel Schneider (45) and captain Craig Howard (39) steadied the Sandhurst innings until Gibson made his mark on the contest.

As well as Schneider and Howard’s knocks, the Dragons also had all-rounder Taylor Beard top score with 46.

Kangaroo Flat’s Adam Burns had a rare wicketless day, but kept the pressure on the Dragons with an economical 0-26 off 17 overs.

As well as his three wickets, Hamblin also took four catches.

• With his side’s season tetering and on its worst losing streak for 26 years, Cameron Taylor delivered with the ball for Strathdale-Maristians against Huntly-North Epsom.

From a solid 3-71 at tea, the Power lost 7-56 in 23.5 overs after the break to be all out for 127 at Sunline Plastering Oval.

Leg-spinner Taylor jagged four of the seven wickets to fall after tea as he finished with 5-49 off 27 overs, while he also took the catch to dismiss the Power’s previous-round century-maker Elliott Massina (5).

Massina’s dismissal left the Power 2-15 in the 11^th over, with Linc McRae (3) also out, both openers dismissed by Jacob DeAraugo.

DeAraugo claimed 3-20 off 15.5 overs, while Sam Johnston also tied the Power down with 2-23 off 17 overs.

The Power’s batting collapse was a throwback to their woes of last season, with the last five wickets falling for just 15 runs.

Brodie McRae (43) top-scored for the Power, with his innings including  a 56-run partnership for the third wicket with Daniel Cruickshank (25).

The Suns faced an awkward 10 over stint at the crease before stumps, but openers Jack Neylon (2 n.o.) and Andrew Hosking (0 n.o.) negotiated it and will resume next Saturday at 0-2.

• A mix of experience and youth helped Bendigo United to 9-252 against White Hills at Glen Loddon Homes Oval.

Veteran Nick Crawford passed 50 for the first time in 21 innings with a steadying and crafty 61 after coming in with the Redbacks at 3-47 in the 15^th over.

Skipper Leigh McDermott made 48 before he was brilliantly caught one-handed at square leg by Josh Matthews, while first-gamer Jasper Stewart looked right at home in his debut innings.

Batting at No.8, Stewart carried his bat in making a polished 40 n.o, with his first partnership at first XI level a 58-run stand with McDermott for the seventh wicket.

Earlier, Redbacks’ opener Clayton Holmes cut Rhys Irwin for four off the first ball of the day in what was an ominous start, but he only lasted nine more balls before he was caught by Gavin Bowles at cover off Irwin without adding to his score.

For the second game in a row Irwin (4-75) took four wickets for the Demons, while Englishman Jack Rodgers (1-21) took just five balls to snare his first wicket for his new club.

• Golden Square posted 8-252 after winning the toss and batting against Strathfieldsaye at MyJet Oval.

Opener Scott Johnson faced 190 balls in top-scoring with 69, while at No.8, Scott Trollope’s fine all-round season continued with a quickfire 53 off 45.

Chris Cullen (3-45) was the leading wicket-taker for the Jets, who at one stage took 3-3 when Square went from 0-60 to 3-63.

Beauden Rinaldi’s 2-56 included his first wicket in the first XI for the Jets when he caught and bowled Johnson.