The Brewers thumped Carrum Downs, 35-1, at Prince of Wales Reserve on Saturday.

Taking a quiet first innings to assess the opposition, the Brewers launched a fearsome assault that gleaned a staggering 19 runs in the third frame to set up the five-innings mercy rule result.

This delighted a supportive Ballarat crowd that had turned out in the balmy conditions.

Brewers' recruit Aaron Sherriff, formerly Bendigo, collected the win with three innings of work on the hill before Brent Jacobsson chimed in with the save for Ballarat.

The Brewers' offence stroked the ball cleanly and often for a welter of extra base hits and scoring conversions.

Clearly refreshed after a winter break, Brewers manager Hamish Burrows was a key contributor with the bat in his 350-game milestone in the club's top team.

"It was a pretty comfortable way to ease back into things," Burrows said.

"We know that the Cardinals had a number of key players missing, so we were not going to get too carried away.

"Our players did everything that was asked of them and I could not be more pleased with the way that we made an early statement to the league after being denied promotion to division two.

"...We are in this for the long haul, not simply to win premierships.

"We have plenty of work to do in building this summer club. It is very important that our lower grades and our junior component get the support that they will need to help us create a really solid

base."

The Brewers' seconds made a strong season start, smacking 14 runs in the first innings to anchor a 23-3 win, while the thirds received a walkover first-up from Footscray.

BOX SCORES

FIRSTS

BALLARAT 2 2 19 12 = 35

CARRUM DOWNS 0 0 0 0 1 = 1

Safe Hits - 26: Jones, Etheridge, Jacobsson 4, Karslake, Pfeiffer 3, Burrows, Harris, Sherriff 1.

SECONDS

BALLARAT 14 3 6 = 23

CARRUM DOWNS 0 0 3 0 = 3

Safe Hits - 21: Drever 4, Collins, Orr, Myles 3, Harris, Phillips, Murray 2, Davidson, Miller 1.

melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au