An even contribution across the board saw Warrnambool District Cricket Association enjoy its first taste of success in this year's Melbourne Country Week competition.
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After going down to Geelong, WDCA hit back with a 15-run win over Bairnsdale at Box Hill City Oval on Tuesday to even the ledger.
Port Fairy wicketkeeper Aaron Williams top-scored with 67, while Allansford's Mitch Clark hit 39 runs as WDCA posted a formidable total of 265 runs.
Bairnsdale was then reeling at 2-12 before being restricted to just 26 runs off its first 10 overs.
And WDCA skipper Nick Butters said this early pressure on the opposition was the key to winning.
"We bowled really good lines and length all day," he said. "I think we wore them down and got the required run rate up to the point where they just couldn't hit them."
Russells Creek's Matt Petherick was damaging with 4-57 off his 10 overs while Woodford's Hank Schlaghecke finished with 2-42 off seven overs as Bairnsdale was limited to 250 runs.
"The losses are hard to swallow in country week, so you've really got to savour the wins," Butters said. "And we're definitely enjoying this one."
The WDCA will play West Gippsland Cricket Association on Thursday with both a grand final berth and the risk of relegation still possible.
"It will pretty much be a live final," Butters said.
Meanwhile, the South West Cricket Association enjoyed its second win in a row with a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Seymour District Cricket Association.
Cobden's Angus Uwland tore through Seymour's top order on the way to finishing with 3-19 off his ten overs, while Pomborneit's Lahiru Fernando took 4-17 off nine overs.
Mortlake's Tyler Schafer then blasted 41 runs off 52 balls as SWCA raced to the finish line.
Schafer's Mortlake teammate and SWCA captain Todd Lamont said the team had been relishing the chance to win games after dropping down to the third division this year.
"In the last few years we've been up against it," he said.
"But we've got quite a handy team and we're getting even contributions with bat and ball."
Seymour opening batsman Kasey Duncan rued the loss of early wickets but heaped praise on SWCA's two spinners - Fernando and his Pomborneit teammate Tharaka Sendanayake.
"They were able to slow the game up in the middle with good variation and change-ups," Duncan said.
"And then South West were able to churn out the small total without taking too many risks."
