REIGNING premiers East Ballarat crushed Brown Hill in a rain-marred final day of round one of the Ballarat Cricket Association Club Firsts on Saturday.
Star leg spin bowler Nathan Yates, who opened the batting, smashed an unbeaten 127 after resuming on 29 not out from day one.
Yates' unstoppable innings included a six at the picturesque Brown Hill Reserve along with 16 boundaries and a "five" in his innings of just 47 overs.
While Daniel Forster had departed the week before, run out by Brad Coyle while just six, first drop Michael Kuiper (resuming not out eight) also plundered the Brown Hill attack remaining unbeaten on 64.
Defending just 151, East Ballarat did not lose a wicket on the final day's play as it cruised to 1/209 before rain finally stopped play.
Opening Bull bowlers Tim Smyth and Andrew Stevens came in for some stick while the same could be said of Andrew Kenna and Matt Kane who played lesser light roles of just three and four overs and got hit for 21 and 25.
* At Sebastopol No 2 Oval, a result was also achieved by Mt Clear thanks to new recruits Shaun Mendis who belted an unbeaten 80 and ex-Shepparton player and opener Dale Sidebottom 33.
Geoff "Joffa" Young also hit a quick-fire unbeaten 54 as Mt Clear cruised to 4-214 chasing 205 - the slippery conditions finally taking their toll as stumps were drawn early.
Captain Paul Jeffrey said Mendis, who was recruited from East Ballarat, played well for his knock of 80 not out which included two powerful sixes and eight boundaries.
But he added that a little work would need to be done on Mendis' running between wickets.
Unfortunately, Mendis will not be available next week for the start of round two.
*At Ballarat Secondary College - Wendouree campus - Golden Point scrapped home with the points - thanks largely to part-time medium pacer Damian Klein with 4-31 off 25 consecutive overs to finish the day.
Despite persistent rain, Golden Point managed to skip through 80 overs to force a result.
Even though Coronet City was 7-100, it could not enforce a draw because Point managed to bowl a full 80 overs similar to City last week.
Last week Point went on the rampage to score a massive 5-302.
Although Point was always in control with just 48 minutes lost to rain, it was the good captaincy by Steve O'Loughlin which ensured his team bowled the required 80 overs in the rain-affected match.
New Coronet City captain Brendan Burns opened the innings and made a well-judged 40 runs in a slow outfield taking numerous singles and hitting just one boundary in his innings of 40.
The experienced Darrin Carroll at No 4 also helped City's cause with 35 before becoming Klein's first victim.
Two lbws and a clean bowled ensured Klein had plenty to smile about at the end of the match with nine maidens in his 25 overs.
Opening bowlers Neil Lee and Glenn King each took a wicket as did off spinner Brett Jones but the day belonged to ex-captain Klein and new captain O'Loughlin.
* At Darley Park in the only match on turf, bright sunshine, initially, gave the home side Devils a chance to set after North Ballarat's total of 239.
Surprise packet bowler recruit Johnny Dewar from Bacchus Marsh last week stole the show with six wickets and followed up on Saturday with 54 of his team's 7-130.
At the end of play Darley did not have a realistic chance of making North Ballarat's total of 239 and had to settle for a draw.
North captain Carman Mapatuna claimed 4-39 with his crafty spin while paceman Matt Cations struck twice for 34 runs and fellow opening paceman Daniel Hopkinson snaffled the other wicket.
Recuit Brian Jack hit a handy 22 with Dewar in the middle - both out to Mapatuna lbw.
* At Wendouree Oval No 2, just one wet and muddy run-up stopped play, and as a consequence only one over was bowled.
Ballarat-Redan's Brett Mason bowled a maiden over to Wendouree opener Rob Delmenico while Eamon Johnson at the other end could only watch on.
When it was his turn to bat, he could do little but wait for the match to be called off with Ballarat-Redan 8-204 in a draw with Wendouree 0-0 off one over.
Several attempts to obtain sawdust to rectify the run-up problem at the Wendouree No2 Oval proved fruitless.