An extended Ballarat Cricket Association season, including a top six finals system, will resume at the weekend.
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With nine rounds to play, all 10 teams remain in the hunt to be part of finals.
Some will say it is a long shot for Napoleons-Sebastopol and Brown Hill at the tail of the field.
They certainly have the job in front of them, but with so many matches in hand the premiership points are available to change their fortunes and put them in the race - as long as they turn their form around.
Having every team still playing for their season is a huge tick for the change in fomat.
Ladder leader East Ballarat looks safe - being 24 points or four wins inside the top six - as does Mt Clear, but from there no one can afford to relax with in particular Buninyong and Golden Point poised to swoop.
The season comes off the Christmas-New Year break with a top-of-the-table blockbluster between East Ballarat and Mt Clear in a battle for premiership favouriism at Russell Square on Saturday.
They met way back in round one - as did all this week's match-ups - with the Hawks a comfortable 59-run winner.
The Mounties' only other loss since came in round eight at the hands of Darley, while East Ballarat's only blemish came against North Ballarat in round six.
Curiously neither has had a stand-out batsman, the Hawks' best Harry Ganley with an aggregate of 246 ahead of Lewis Hodgins 241.
Mt Clear's runs have come from an even wider spread with seven players with more than 100, but none with 150-plus.
Golden Point is under as much pressure as anyone as it finds itself uncharacteristically in the bottom half of the ladder and needing to make a statement or two - beginning in its encounter with reigning premier Darley.
Point has not won since way back in round four, while Darley - despite being fourth - has been patchy.
If Golden Point is to make a run this is a game it needs points in, especially on its home deck at the Eastern Oval.
Ballarat-Redan gets an opportunity to stand up against Wendouree at Alfredton.
The Two Swords had a rough start of their campaign, but has been able to build genuine momentum.