After Leagues won the toss and elected to bat it was Exies who were able to make the most of the early conditions.

Wickets fell at regular intervals for the Panthers and made it hard for them to get early runs on the board. Ben Leach and Logan Matheson were able to put on 12 runs for the opening wicket before Leach (6) was dismissed by Marc Tucker.

The fall of Leach was the start of the problems for Leagues as Matheson (8) and while Jimmy Binks (2) and Madden (21) were able to get Leagues moving in the right direction.

Bock (2/18) was able to pick up Madden and Liam Greenaway (0) in successive balls to be on a hat-trick which was safely negotiated by Ryan Greenaway.

Greenaway and Reece Matheson put together the best partnership for their innings before Matheson fell with the score on 93. Leagues lost their final four wickets for 10 runs to be bowled out for 103 off 31 overs.

While Leagues were able to make an early breakthrough when captain Paul Plummer picked up Brett Findlay (1) but Exies captain Phil Burge was able to score quickly.

Burge and Jamie Winkler were able to put on 24 before Winkler was dismissed by Raj Singh.

Exies were able to score freely with Burge and Tom Spry at the crease as a 57-run stand made light work of Leagues’ first innings total to get Exies to 87 before Burge (35) was dismissed.

Spry (49) continued his run-scoring form to get to within one run of a half-century before he was bowled by Ryan Greenaway (1/3). It had little impact as Craig Burge saw his side first pass the Panthers first innings total and then start building their lead.

Burge (31) and Tucker (19) help see Exies finish on 171 to hold a lead of 68 heading into Leagues second innings.

Leach (32) was able to get a start at the top of the order while Binks (26) was able to add some vital runs in the middle order.

A 28-run partnership between Ryan (18) and Liam Greenaway (19) put the Panthers in a position where they could put on a quick lead in the middle session before Jamie Winkler (4/6) was introduced into the attack and took four quick wickets to restrict Leagues to 144 off 32 overs.

With a deficit of 76 heading into the second innings, Exies had time on their side if they wanted to take an outright win. Leagues gave themselves a fighting chance as Plummer (4/23), and Binks (3/13) took quick wickets to see Exies fall to 6/16. The middle order stood strong with Craig Burge (21) and Joel Mulder (29*) able to give Exies a three-wicket win.