The Darley speedster tore the heart out of Brown Hill in the opening round of the Ballarat Cricket Association with 9-15 off just 7.1 overs as the hosts were routed for just 28.

Darley, and particularly Ekanayaka, were ruthless with a single mindedness to get the job done as quickly as they could before forecast rain hit. The match itself was over in less than two hours as Darley cruised to a nine-wicket win inside four overs.

The only joy on a miserable day for Brown Hill was the wicket of star Darley opener Danza Hyatt for 16 in the small chase, but otherwise it was a performance of premiership standing from the Bulls who have once again put the competition on notice as the team to beat.

Fortunately for Brown Hill while some rain came later in the day, matches were still able to be completed, so the one loss will not leave it behind the rest of the field other than in run rate.

Ekanayaka said in his wildest dreams he could not have envisaged a nine-wicket haul to start off the season.

He said the grassy top of the wicket had his eyes wide open as the match started, with him knowing the conditions would favour his seem bowling if he could get it right early on.

"I've changed my action a little bit and the last two to three weeks I've found some good rhythm," he said.

"I generally prefer to play two-day cricket because it allows me to bowl more overs but these are the best figures I've ever had. It's been a great day.

"We were fortunate, because I thought it would have been good for us to bowl first, but then we lost the toss, but for whatever reason they decided to bat first."

Eyanayaka said he set himself a goal at the start of the year to be up at the top of the bowling aggregates come the end of the season, feeling that it was important for him to return to the best form of his career, something he felt he hadn't yet achieved in his time so far at Darley.