Emu Valley looked set to record an easy victory in the division one clash when it was 5-117 chasing 119 for victory at Windridge Oval in Rochester.

However, Northern Districts duo Jack Elliott and Carlo Scheepers had other ideas.

In the space of 22 balls, Elliott took 3-0 and Scheepers 2-0 as Emu Valley lost 5-0 to be bowled out for 117 – one run short of Northern District’s total.

Greg Thomas (17), Luke Rafferty (6), Scott Ross (0), Andrew Sheehan (0) and number 11 Jamie Fox (0) were the batsmen to fall in the collapse.

“Northern Districts took their chances and bowled well. That’s cricket unfortunately,’’ EVCA captain Rick Ladson said.

“We have to move on. Things can change very quickly at Country Week and we need to focus on winning on Tuesday.”

Elliott and Scheepers were the eighth and ninth bowlers used by Northern Districts’ skipper Josh Novoselek.

“I’ve never been in a finish like that before,’’ an elated Novoselek said.

“It was a mixture of good bowling and poor batting. We had a ring field and bowled tightly. It was a great win because we have a really young group here this year.”

Earlier, Emu Valley had been cruising at 0-68 after openers Matt Dwyer (29) and Ash Gray (38) batted well.

Northern Districts reached 118 thanks to skipper Novoselek (43) and Adam Deccico (32). Andrew Sheehan was the pick of EVCA’s bowlers with 3-9 off 6.4 overs.

Related – Day one photo gallery

Reigning premier Gisborne suffered a shock 10-run loss to Goulburn Murray.

Gisborne bowled well to restrict Goulburn Murray to 139 at Moon Oval in Rochester.

Michael Nalesnyik (4-36 off 15 overs) and Tom Robson (4-61 off 20 overs) did the damage with the ball for Gisborne.

Goulburn Murray put Gisborne on the back foot early and the reigning champs slumped to 5-54.

Josh Eastley (31) threatened to derail Goulburn Murray’s hopes of an upset win, but good bowling from Adam Ward and Luke Deeprose guided the home side to a well-deserved 10-run win.

Murray Valley’s return to division one action started successfully when it defeated Ferntree Gully by 50 runs at the QEO.

Murray Valley’s 5-212 was built around an 88-run fourth-wicket partnership between Andrew Hogan (50) and Ash Quinn (50 not out).

Quinn followed up with 4-67 off 18 overs with the ball as Ferntree Gully never gathered any momentum in their chase.

Niraj DeSilva top scored with 30, while Daniel Salan was forced to retire hurt on 18 after suffering a leg injury and he was transported to hospital by ambulance.

Murray Valley added a quickfire 1-39 in its second innings to add some vital bonus points to total.

A brilliant century from Portland’s Stephen Easterbrook overshadowed a hat-trick by Castlemaine’s Brett Cole in a high-scoring clash at Camp Reserve.

Easterbrook (140) and Jake Wilson (74) rescued Portland from a precarious 4-18. They added 173 for the fifth wicket to lift their side to an imposing 9-264.

Easterbrook faced 119 balls in his brilliant knock.

“It was just one of those days when everything clicked,’’ Easterbrook said.

“It was a great batting wicket. I’d love to dig it up and take it home (to Portland).

“To get a win after being 4-18… it’s one of the best wins I’ve played in.”

Cole (3-20)  provided the highlight with the ball for the Magpies when he claimed a hat-trick late in Portland’s innings.

In reply, Castlemaine gave itself a chance when it reached 3-173, but that man Easterbrook came back to haunt the home side.

He took four middle-order wickets bowling slow medium-pacers and rookie opening bowler Jack Cocks (4-59) removed dangerman Wayne Stubbings (87) as Portland clung on for a 15-run win.

The hastily-arranged Bendigo District Cricket Association squad scored a 13-run win over Red Cliffs at Canterbury Park.

The BDCA team entered the competition after Grampians pulled out on Friday. The squad is largely made up of players under the age of 19, with a few wily veterans thrown in to lead the way.

Monday’s game was the “Klemm Show” with Kangaroo Flat brothers Dylan and Jake instrumental in the victory.

Jake top scored with 60 and took a crucial late wicket, while Dylan Klemm (4-23) ripped through the Red Cliffs top-order before returning to dismiss potential match-winner Shannon Bowen (75).

Earlier, Ben Mole (4-43) bowled well for Red Cliffs to help restrict the home team to 178.

In the final game of the round, Grassmere (8-146 and 0-12) proved too good for Maryborough (128) in a low-scoring game at North Bendigo.

Northern United showed it has the potential to be a title threat when it defeated Wimmera-Mallee by 21 runs at Strathfieldsaye.

Rodney Ellis (4-43) and Ken Bell (3-12) took seven wickets between them as Northern United bowled Wimmera-Mallee out for 168. Opener Sam Leith (67) was the mainstay of the visitors’ innings.

Earlier, a half-century from Ben Harris (53) and solid contributions from the middle-order sae Northern United post 9-189 from its 50 overs.

Upper Loddon suffered a 52-run loss to the young Grassmere Colts line-up at Bell Oval.

Justin Coates (77) and James Tarbolton (77) put on 149 for the first wicket to lead Grassmere to 9-203 off 50 overs.

Ashley Younghusband and Rob Stranger took three wickets each for Upper Loddon.

In reply, Upper Loddon batsmen failed to turn starts into big scores and the team was bowled out for 151. Seven batsmen reached double figures, but Stranger was top scorer with 35.

Joseph Forrest and Jason Hutchins took three wickets each for Grassmere Colts.

A six-wicket haul from Mitchell Howe wasn’t enough for Wangaratta to get the points against Colac at Dower Park.

Howe took 6-48 as Wangaratta restricted Colac to what seemed a very manageable total of 170. Open Alex Inglis made a well-compiled 62 for Colac.

Colac’s bowlers did their job superbly as they bundled Wangaratta out for 113 inside 33 overs. Kaden Beckett took 5-15 and Deakin Carmichael 3-13 for the victors.

Division 1 – Murray Valley 16.31, Goulburn Murray 15.39, Northern Districts 15.18, Gisborne 3.29, Emu Valley 3.17, Ferntree Gully 2.82.

Division 2 – Portland 16.64, Bendigo 15.78, Grassmere 15.58, Castlemaine 4.29, Red Cliffs 3.65, Maryborough 2.88.

Division 3 – Colac 16.34, Grassmere Colts 16.20, Northern United 15.89, Wangaratta 4.73, Upper Loddon 3.91, Wimmera-Mallee 3.48.

Division 1 – Murray Valley v Gisborne at North Bendigo, Goulburn Murray v Emu Valley at Strathfieldsaye, Northern Districts v Ferntree Gully at Weeroona Oval.

Division 2 – Red Cliffs v Maryborough at Harry Trott Oval, Grassmere v Portland at White Hills, Castlemaine v Bendigo at Golden Square.

Division 3 – Northern United v Grassmere Colts at Raywood, Upper Loddon v Colac at Huntly, Wangaratta v Wimmera-Mallee at Eaglehawk.