Both teams scored 8-138 off their 40 overs in a back-and-forth tussle Marong coach David Blume described as one of the most see-sawing battles he has been a part of.

The Tigers looked in the box seat after openers Pat Hartney (35) and Joe Hartney (33) got their chase off to a strong start with a 73-run partnership.

However, staring at adversity, the Panthers struck back superbly with the ball to build pressure with a steady flow of wickets in a game that ultimately ended with the two sides unable to be split.

"It was one of the strangest games I've been involved in... there were so many ups and downs," Blume said.

"Momentum kept changing throughout right up until the very last ball."

With United trailing by one run the game ended with the Tigers' Tom Calvert (21 n.o.) hitting the final delivery of the match off Marong captain Alex Gorrie to Amarpreet Singh at mid-off.

Calvert and Harry Gadsden (3 n.o.) were able to scurry through for a single to level the scores as Singh's throw at the stumps missed.

Calvert's unbeaten 21 off 31 included a final-over six over mid-wicket off Gorrie to bring the Tigers within sight of their target having started the last over needing nine to win.

Following the 73-run opening partnership between the Hartneys the Tigers quickly lost 4-10, which included the two big scalps of Alex Code (1) and Broderick Williams (0), who were both caught by Nathan Green.

Williams was one of three wickets for the Panthers' Brendan Shepherd (3-20).

MORE CRICKET - BDCA ROUND 1 - Rejuvenated Redbacks show why they are tipped to be one of the season's big improvers

Earlier after being sent in the Panthers looked like they would battle to bat out their 40 overs when they quickly slumped to 4-25 in the 14^th over.

But thanks to knocks from Andrew Gladstone (39 n.o.), Blume (35) and Adam Brown (26) they battled their way to 8-138 against a Tigers' attack that had five of its six bowlers take a wicket.

"It was a great game of cricket and I was really proud of the boys against a quality side like United," Blume said.

"The boys showed plenty of fight with the bat and ball."

The result was the EVCA's first tied game since Marong and West Bendigo played a tie in round two of the 2011-12 season.

* West Bendigo's Bodee Scullie cracked the first century of the season as the Redbacks shot to the top of the ladder with a big win over Sedgwick at Ken Wust Oval.

The Redbacks beat the Rams for the first time since the 2013-14 season, winning by a commanding 149 runs.

After dismissing the Rams for 103 having won the toss and bowled, the Redbacks then scored at better than a run-a-ball in crunching 7-252 in reply.

Opening the batting, Scullie outscored the Rams on his own with a blistering 125 off just 87 balls with 19 boundaries and four sixes as he made Sedgwick pay for an early dropped catch at point.

"Bodee is not just a quality cricketer, it's the way he talks the guys he's batting with through their innings," West Bendigo captain Josh Kinsman said.

"He strikes the ball so hard and really thinks about how he goes about it. He gave a chance in the first over when he was dropped off a tough chance at point and he made the most of it."

Earlier, the Rams lost 10-58 as they capitulated from 0-45 following a solid start by openers Bailey Ilsley (30) and Dustin Elliott (19) to all out for 103 in the 33^rd over.

EVCA - West Bendigo v Sedgwick, round 1 | PHOTOS

In a game where seven players across both teams took at least two wickets, Shannon Murphy's 3-24 for the Redbacks were the best figures with the ball.

"It was a great start by the boys; Sedgwick is a side that we haven't beaten in quite a few years and they have made some huge scores against us," Kinsman said.

"To beat them in the style we did was really pleasing."

* Spring Gully dished out a 194-run belting to California Gully at home.

Thomas Perrin (69) and Rhys Webb (58) both compiled half-centuries in the Crows' tally of 6-241 batting first, with the pair sharing in a 104-run partnership for the fourth wicket before both were dismissed by Justin Bice (3-68).

While the runs flowed freely for the Crows, wickets tumbled constantly for the Cobras, who in a dismal start to the season were bundled out for just 47 in the 24^th over in reply with no player reaching double figures.

Off-spinner Beauden Rinaldi led the carnage with the ball for the Crows with 4-11 off 4.3 overs to give his 2021-22 bowling average an early kickstart.

* Mandurang opened its season with a 133-run win over the new-look Axe Creek.

The Rangas restricted the Cowboys to 9-120 at Pearce Reserve, with the chief run-scorers for the visitors recruit Shiran Kulathunga (32) and Ash Dixon (29 n.o.).

Thomas Martin (3-23) snared three of the first five wickets to fall for the Rangas, who passed their target five wickets down before finishing at 8-233 in their chase.

There were plenty of contributors for the Rangas with five players making at least 20, including the experienced Phil Berry, who belted 73 off 63, including three sixes.

Jesse Trenfield was the leading wicket-taker for the Cowboys with 4-40.

LADDER:

1. West Bendigo - 16.52

2. Spring Gully - 16.41

3. Mandurang - 16.13

4. Marong - 8.98

5. United - 8.98

6. Axe Creek - 2.60

7. Sedgwick - 2.43

8. California Gully - 1.67

9. Emu Creek - 0.00

Kingower and Boort-Yando were the two winners in Saturday's start to the Upper Loddon Cricket Association, which this season has been reduced to five teams.

Kingower (8-74) held off reigning premier Bridgewater (9-68) to win by six runs.

Blake Pickles played a starring role with the ball for Kingower with the superb figures of 4-6 off seven overs.

And Boort-Yando (6-90) beat Wedderburn (87) by three runs in a thriller.

The bulk of Boort-Yando's runs were scored by captain Jarrod Hodoras (36) and Alex Cockerell (35 n.o.), while Wedderburn's top-scorer was opener Issac Holt (29).

Meanwhile, in the clash of former Northern United Cricket Association teams Elmore and Colbinabbin, who have moved into B Grade of the Goulburn Murray Cricket Association, the Redbacks (9-114) beat the Ducks (113) by one wicket at Elmore.

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