With one ball remaining in the match, West Bendigo thought it needed a six to win.

Redbacks' tailender Daniel Whiting (30 not out) hit a four and Marong players celebrated what they thought was a one-run win.

However, after a crosscheck of the scorebook it was found that Marong had scored one run less in its innings than originally thought.

The Panthers' score was reduced by one run to 5-128 - equal with West Bendigo's total of 8-128.

Despite the lack of light, plus the fact two Marong players and one West Bendigo player had gone home early, a super over was played.

West Bendigo batted first and could only manage 2-4 off the bowling of Marong marquee player Dylan Gibson.

The Panthers scored 0-7 to win their first T20 match of the season.

Earlier, Chris Dixon (49) and David Blume (31) ensured Marong had a competitive total to bowl to after West Bendigo's Cody Wright took season-best figures of 5-20 off his four overs.

That result leaves three teams - Emu Creek, Mandurang and United - battling for the top two spots in pool one with one round remaining.

Emu Creek completed its preliminary rounds by defeating United on Tuesday night.

The comfortable seven-wicket win saw Emu Creek catapult to the top of the pool.

However, with the ladder so tight, to have any chance of making the semi-finals Emu Creek needs either United or Mandurang to lose in the final round to Marong or West Bendigo respectively.

If United and Mandurang win next week they'll both qualify for the semi-finals.

Emu Creek's big win over United was set up by some brilliant top-order batting.

Chasing a potentially difficult 155 against a United attack that is rated highly, Emu Creek won with 16 balls and seven wickets to spare.

New marquee player Adam Ward, who took the place of Cam Taylor, set the tone by blasting 30 off just 14 balls, including three sixes and two fours.

Daniel Chamberlain (43 not out off 29 balls) and Torin Petrie (51 off 37 balls) hit six sixes and eight fours between them.

The batsmen were particularly aggressive against United's Jarrod Starr (0-54 off 3.2 overs) and Sandun Ranathunga (0-43 off four overs).

Earlier in the evening, Tom Calvert (46 off 24 balls) and Harry Whittle (40 off 16 balls) rescued United from a precarious 3-20.

Emu Creek opening bowler Luke Bennett had the fine figures of 2-12 off his four overs.

In pool two, Sedgwick required 22 runs off the final 30 balls to defeat California Gully.

Four balls later the game was over.

Rams' marquee player Ryan Grundy launched three-straight sixes and then a boundary off the first four balls of Brad Olson's over.

The 22 runs sealed victory for Sedgwick and lifted Grundy to an individual score of 99 not out.

The Huntly-North Epsom star hit 10 fours and six sixes in his 49-ball innings.

His opening partner Greg Thomas made 39 not out off 45 balls as the duo combined for an unbroken stand of 148 in 15.4 overs.

California Gully had earlier posted 5-146 off its 20 overs.

Brodie McRae top-scored with 60 off 55 balls, while Justin Bice made a quickfire 36 off 22 balls.

Sedgwick skipper Jordan Ilsley bowled well to have figures of 2-16 off four overs.

In the other pool two match, Spring Gully cemented top spot on the ladder by defeating the winless Axe Creek.

The Crows bowled Axe Creek out for just 67.

It could have been worse had the Crows treated the match seriously.

Once they removed Axe Creek marquee player Kyle Humphrys for 1, the Crows took the chance to give everyone except Lachlan Brook a bowl, including regular keeper Brannon Stanford.

Of the 10 bowlers used, Rhys Webb and Jake Donegan were the only players not to take a wicket.

With the bat, Spring Gully changed its batting order and coasted to 4-68 off 16 overs.

Isaac Willits top-scored with 25 not out off 35 balls.

The Crows and Sedgwick look set to represent pool two in the semi-finals.

The final round of Twenty20 preliminary matches will be played on Tuesday, February 2.

The semi-finals are scheduled for February 9, with the grand final to be played on February 16.

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