MARONG amassed its first score of more than 300 in the Emu Valley Cricket Association since the 2013-14 season in its win over West Bendigo on Saturday.

Starting the day at 2-103 in reply to the Redbacks’ 215 at Ken Wust Oval, Marong added another 198 runs to reach 301.

It was the Panthers’ highest score since they cracked 7-342 against Axe Creek in round nine of the 2013-14 season.

The Marong innings featured a pair of half-centuries to Adam Brown (82) and skipper Tom Wilson (62 n.o.), while Jeremy Ross added 45 to help the Panthers to their second victory of the season.

The Panthers had been 7-213 before their last three wickets combined to add 88 runs – the bulk of which were scored by Wilson.

Gary Singh was the Redbacks’ leading wicket-taker with 3-40, while off-spinner Zac Makeham proved just how fickle the game of cricket can be.

Having taken 7-97 the previous round against California Gully, this time Makeham went for 0-81 off 12 overs.

• Reigning premier Spring Gully ended a seven-year drought with its thumping 266-run win over United.

Before Saturday the Crows hadn’t beaten the Tigers since the 2011-12 season, but after obliterating United with the bat last week, they then did so with the ball.

Defending their monster total of 9-350, the Crows bundled the Tigers out for just 84 in the 34^th over at Ewing Park.

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Bryon Perrin (4-12) and Nick Skeen (3-29) combined for seven wickets for the Crows against a Tigers line-up that lost its last four wickets for just one run.

The Crows enforced the follow-on, but a defiant century from United opener Ben Manning denied Spring Gully’s outright attempt.

Manning dug in for 104 in the Tigers’ second innings of 5-201 in what was the second century of the match after the Crows’ Brannon Stanford made 133 on day one.

Having last season missed the finals for only the third time since 1980, United is in danger of doing so again with only one win on the board after five games.

• Sedgwick’s unblemished record remains intact after inflicting a batting collapse on Mandurang at Club Court.

In pursuit of the Rams’ 220, the Rangas had been 3-88, before losing 7-35 to be all out for 123 in the 61^st over.

The collapse started when the Rams’ Daniel Chamberlain (3-20) ended Rhys Williams’ 131-ball stay at the crease for 48.

All-rounder Chamberlain was one of a trio of Sedgwick players who took three wickets, along with veteran Scott McKenzie (3-27) and Jordan Ilsley (3-24).

There were four ducks in the Mandurang innings, which included two of the Rangas’ experienced batsmen in Matt Pask and Ben Rodda.

READ MORE – Sedgwick v Mandurang | PHOTOS

• Emu Creek opted for batting practice against Maiden Gully rather than pursuing an outright result.

Resuming at 2-153 in reply to the Lions’ 91, the Emus began the day with the points already in the bag and batted on, adding another 127 before being bowled out for 280 after losing 4-15 late.

Tyrone Downie (64) top-scored for the Emus, while Dallas Gill’s 3-63 was the best bowling figures for the Lions.

• Team records – Sedgwick (5-0), Spring Gully (5-1), Emu Creek (4-1), Mandurang (2-2-1), Marong (2-3), West Bendigo (2-3), United (1-3-1), Maiden Gully (1-4), California Gully (0-5). 

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