ALL-ROUNDer Zac Graham has delivered Ballan an edge in Ballarat Cricket Association district division one premiership stakes.

But Ballan’s battle with defending premier Lucas is far from finished at White Flat.

Top-order batsman Graham held Ballan’s chase together with an unbeaten 92 runs that has put the Blues 76 runs ahead at the end of the first innings on Sunday.

Graham’s batting effort backed up a 3-39 haul off 17.1 overs when he had the ball on day one.

Lucas won the toss and compiled a 193-run tally.

Mark Gittins (38 runs) and Jake Pring (36) anchored the Lucas innings after a couple of early yips – Blue David Gardiner bowled Lucas opener Jay Anderson cheap to put Lucas 1-8 early.

Lucas captain Kayne Wilson and Nick Young formed a 50-run middle-order partnership to bolster the order.

Graham dismantled Lucas’ middle-order, while teammates Ben Loughnane and Michael Snaith picked up two wickets each.

Blues captain Mick Nolan held out a tense five over-start with Snaith in Ballan’s reply to stumps on day one. 

They rounded out a 51-run partnership to start the second day.

Nolan powered on to make 49 runs (five fours) off 83 balls and was caught out one run shy of a half-century. Zac Graham picked up where Nolan left off.

The Blues were off to a strong start, but lacked significant scoring support through the order.

Lucas’ Ross Waters chipped away for three wickets, including the key scalps of Nolan and Jarryd Graham.

Lucas is hunting a premiership three-peat in division one and will seek to wrestle momentum back in its favour when this four-day final resumes on Saturday.

TOP PLAYS

BATTING

Zac Graham (Ballan) 92, not out

Mick Nolan (Ballan) 49

Kayne Wilson (Lucas) 42

BOWLING

Ross Waters (Lucas) 3-38

Zac Graham (Ballan) 3-39

Andrew Hill (Lucas) 3-46