Captain's knocks by Northern Suburbs skipper Lincoln Mills and his Western Suburbs counterpart Tom Irwin have their sides in charge on day one of their respective encounters on Saturday.
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Irwin stroked the Raymond Terrace attack to all parts of the ground with an unbeaten 73 for Wests to end day one firmly in control on 0/115 after earlier dismissing the Lions for 183.
All-rounder Mills returned to his best with 155 off just 133 balls to set up his side's total of 7/304 before declaring with 16 overs to spare at Lorn Park.
Dismissed with the score on 218, Mills was a dominant force and took full toll of anything loose hitting 25 and three fours against his junior club. His innings eventually ended when he was run out by teenager Baylee Borrow.
Caleb Daskalovski and Sean Gibson kept the momentum going combining for a valuable 55-run partnership. Daskalovski made 40 off 31 balls before being dismissed and Gibson finished on 31 off 53 balls for his fourth not out innings of the season.
Ryan Wind took 2-49 and Shane Wind finished with 2-65 to be the best with the ball for Tenambit Morpeth.
Norths' declaration left the Bulls with a tricky 16 overs to negotiate and young paceman Cal Gabriel took bull advantage of it picking up 2/13 as the Bulls finished on 3/39 at stumps.
Borrow finished on 20 not out for the Bulls to cap off a fine individual day.
At Coronation Oval, a five-wicket haul by Western Suburbs all-rounder Elliott Lewis turned the game with a devastating spell which saw Raymond Terrace collapse from 5/168 to be all out for 183.
Lewis and Wests other key recruit Shaun Hill both missed out on hat-tricks.
Hill's attempt at a hat-trick came in one of the most eventful overs of the day. Jaymes Thomas was caught at deep mid-wicket by Lewis after smashing back-to-back sixes. Aaron Sherritt was out next ball trapped lbw.
Elliott started the collapse by capturing John Warrington lbw after he had anchored the innings with a fine 69. Next delivery he set up a hat-trick when Nick Savage was caught by a diving Mitchell Fisher at short mid-off.
Fisher, in his first game back from an extended stay in the UK, dived to his right and somehow the smartly hit drive stuck.
Teenager Brayden Brooks survived the hat-trick delivery but was caught behind by keeper Luke Knight for Lewis's third wicket of the over.
It was 8/168 and Daniel Flynn decided to go down fighting, hitting five fours in his 24 before a slight shift in the field saw him smash the ball to Shannon Threlfo for Lewis's fourth wicket.
Lewis' bag of five came when he bowled Alex Lidbury another of Raymond Terrace's talented teenagers.
Missing key strike bowler Cameron Bates, the Raymond Terrace attack bowled without luck and were punished by Wests skipper Irwin for anything even remotely off a good line.
Irwin caressed a sublime 73 at better than a run-a-ball to combine with Threlfo (32) in an unbeaten opening stand of 115.
Frustratingly for the Lions at least three deliveries caught an edge only to fall short or pass through gaps in the slips cordon. But Irwin's desire to get quick runs to set up victory contributed and it was a case of fortune favouring the brave.