BROWN HILL 94 v NAPOLEONS-SEBASTOPOL 2-35

Well Napoleons-Sebastopol certainly made an impact first-up on its home ground.

The Bulls were all bunded out within 52 overs and Naps-Sebas needs 60 more runs, eight wickets in hand, to claim first innings victory now.

Matt Ringin (4-29 off 13 overs, five maiden) and Liam Young (3-10 off five overs) unleashed most of the obliteration but Justin Ringin proved pretty handy too, wiping out the tail with his 2-7 off six overs.

Former Bulls skipper Jason Knowles, batting number five, was the highest scorer on day one. He pieced together 37 runs off 123 balls and was the final wicket to fall.

Knowles also bowled the wicket off Matt Ringin, who opened Naps-Sebas' batting with 16 runs.

BALLARAT-REDAN 6-384 v CORONET CITY 

There was always going to be plenty of interest in how new Ballarat-Redan captain Bobby Hind would bolster this batting order and he made a strong statement with a half-century on his club debut.

But it was young gun Anthony Taylor who really anchored the Combine's formidable afternoon at the crease on Alfredton 1.

Taylor made 80 runs off 113 balls and set the Combine up in an impressive 128-run second-wicket partnership with Al Edmends (50 runs).

Hind stepped in where Edmends left off for a 39-run partnership with Taylor, taking the Combine to 3-202 when Taylor fell.

Justin Gribble and Chris Egan made sure City would definitely feel the pressure late in the day with an unbeaten 122-run partnership. Gribble belted 73 runs off 84 balls and Egan chalked up 31 runs.

Bernie Davey medallist Dale Jeffrey, who transferred from Lucas, opened the bowling for his new club and took 1-58 off 15 overs.

GOLDEN POINT 225 v DARLEY 1-13

Simon Ogilvie and captain Josh White steadied the Golden Point order after a slightly shaky start at White Flat Oval.

Ogilvie made an impressive 83 runs while White fell narrowly short of a half-century on 49 runs.

Point then started to fade away a little after tea break but finished off all right.

Darley skipper and reigning EJ Cleary medallist Matt Cape nabbed 3-28 while returning Lions Ryan Ali took 3-44.

The Lions finished off day one to be 1-13 at stumps.

EAST BALLARAT 1-73  v NORTH BALLARAT 172

HAWK Oli Hayes's seven wicket haul gave East Ballarat plenty of bite to start the season at Wendouree West.

Hayes took 7-61 off 23.4 overs, including five maidens, and denied North Ballarat room to build momentum.

Except there was Rooster Matt Spratling.

The Roosters were in trouble at 3-29 - Hayes had claimed two scalps - when Spratling arrived at the crease and started to build his 91 runs.

Spratling's effort held the Roosters' order together. His was the last wicket to fall in the 57th over.

The Hawks' stellar start with the ball allowed them time to get their chase well underway. They need 100 runs with nine wickets in hand to claim a first innings victory. 

Returned bat Jon Barnett has been dismissed and Carl Haseloff (43 runs) and Mitchell Walsh (22) will resume on day two.

MOUNT CLEAR v WENDOUREE 221

Mount Clear has made a solid start in launching its title defence.

Mounties' skipper Nathan Yates captured 2-28, matched by Ash George and Grant Trevenen (2-33) was also a multiple wicket-taker.

The Mounties have plenty of batting depth to hunt down the Red Caps.

*Wendouree has not supplied batting details