Broadford and Kilmore maintained their perfect records while reigning premier Tallarook fell to 1-2 after three rounds of Seymour District Cricket Association action.
Broadford had a comfortable 110-run triumph over A Grade newcomer Pyalong at Harley Hammond Reserve.
After winning the toss and batting, Broadford captain Ash Wood and Riley Mason put on an 80-run opening stand before Wood was dismissed by Damien Zoch for 43.
Mason top-scored for Broadford, making 63 from 103 balls in just under two hours before he was removed, caught and bowled by Matthew Wilkins after a 48-run partnership with Jake Martin.
Broadford lost its fourth and final wicket shortly thereafter when Cooper Mason was run out by Sean Walsh for 6 at 4/148.
Martin and Braden Hickey finished the winnings with a quickfire 48-run partnership with Broadford making 4/196 from its 45 overs.
Martin finished on 41 while Hickey made a better than a run a ball 25 in the final half hour before the innings concluded.
Zoch had Pyalong’s best figures with 2/18 from nine overs.
Broadford immediately made an impact with the ball when Ashley Gurney dismissed Sean Walsh (2) and Jamie Pyror (3) in quick succession.
Jeremy Bradshaw carried the momentum, dismissing Matthew Pratt for 3 as Pyalong fell to 3/11.
The visitors were able to put a small partnership together, with Peter Campbell and Daniel Snowden (36) compiling 26 before Campbell was stumped by Wood off Hickey for 17.
Wickets fell thick and fast, with no other Pyalong batsman making more than single digits as Pyalong finished the innings at 9/86.
Broadford spread the load with the ball, with every bowler taking a wicket – Gurney, Bradshaw and Hickey claimed two wickets each.
Kilmore had a bit more cause for concern in its seven-run win over Eastern Hill at Kings Park.
Kilmore was in trouble early after winning the toss and batting, with openers Jacob Walton and captain Josh Buttler losing their wickets early as the visitors fell to 2/7.
A 29-run partnership between Shane Topham and wicketkeeper Matthew Rose put Kilmore back on course before Topham was dismissed for 13. Rose followed soon after for 18 with Kilmore 4/46.
Successive wickets of Ben Dawson and Dale Tassone – who combined for a 27-run partnership – followed by Gurkarnvir Singh departing cheaply, had Kilmore at 7/79.
Marcus Davern and Robert Hanson put on 36 before Hanson was bowled for 20 with Kilmore 8/115.
Davern was able to carry Kilmore to a respectable total of 8/132 from 45 overs after top-scoring with 34.
Daniel O’Sullivan led Eastern Hill’s attack, taking 3/31 from nine overs.
Kilmore was able to get on top early with the ball, with Buttler abruptly ending a promising opening partnership when he dismissed Billy Cox for 16.
Three more were quickly taken between Buttler and Hanson as Eastern Hill fell to 4/39.
After Eastern Hill was able to consolidate its innings in the middle order, Corey Dennehy ran Regan Gardner out for 22 to have Eastern Hill 5/74.
However, the middle order could not keep up the momentum, losing wickets consistently and falling to 8/102.
Eastern Hill had plenty of work to do, but the target was within reach until Kilmore reinforced its superiority with the ball, bowling Eastern Hill out for 125 with two balls remaining.
Shane Topham guided Kilmore home, taking three late wickets to finish with figures of 3/27 from eight overs.
This Saturday shapes up to host a crucial game, with the two undefeated sides Kilmore and Broadford facing off.
Reigning premier Tallarook was knocked off its perch after a six-wicket loss to Yea in a grand final rematch at Tallarook.
After a troublesome start had the hosts at 4/44, Leigh Irving (27) and Matthew Martin (56) put on an entertaining 77-run partnership before falling one after the other to have Tallarook 6/121.
Blair Hobba (34*) and Blake Coyle (18) put on 56 before Coyle was caught. Lovepreet Singh fell with the last wicket of the winnings as Tallarook finished at 8/181.
Damon Malcolm led Yea’s attack, taking 4/27 from nine overs.
Yea started well with the bat, with Malcolm and Darcy Pell putting on a 46-run partnership before Pell was bowled by Singh for 27.
Tallarook captain Lachlan Watts followed up, dismissing Malcolm leg before wicket for 19 to have Yea 2/58.
Tigers captain Marc Steiner and Nathan Beattie put on 39 before Leigh Irving scored the breakthrough, dismissing Steiner caught behind by Cameron Muir for 38.
Coyle followed up quickly, dismissing Daniel O’Dwyer leg before wicket as Yea fell to 4/98.
However, it was the last wicket to fall as Beattie (4*) and Cameron Armstrong (40) led Yea to the win with just more than two overs remaining.
Elsewhere, Alexandra lost to Seymour by four wickets at Leckie Park.