After being sent into bat on a usually unpredictable Oakville pitch, Scorpion openers Ryan Talbot (40) and Jerry Bourke put on a healthy opening stand of 64 and the Free- mans Reach bowlers went wit- hout luck as Bourke (67) and Greg Haynes (68) put on 97 for the third wicket as Scho- fields racked up 5/227.

In reply, only Eden DeMat- tia's hard fought 59 was the only resistance to some excellent bowling from the experienced Schofields attack as Pete Wood (2/17) led the way and Haynes, Brett Talbot and Chris Bourke all snared two wickets to bowl the Maroons out for 145 and collect their third straight win.

Maroota lifted itself off the bottom of the ladder with an epic seven-run victory over Glossodia at McQuade Park.

Early wickets from quicks Pat Lawrence and Jamie McDonald had the Blues in strife at 2/10 but Mitch Tully (33) and Ben Adams (48) provided vital resistance in the middle overs before Brett Jones displayed some smart hitting with an important 40no in his team's 7/161.

An inspiring opening spell from Richmond recruit Fred Drexel (3/47) had Glossodia reeling at 4/37 before Don Levy kept his head and reached a half century in a welcome return to form after making a duck last week against North Richmond.

The Gladiators were patient in their fightback and eventually needed 32 runs with four wickets in hand, but the Blues engineered a collapse, wrapping the tail up quickly to bowl them out for 154 when Geoff Drury was run out in the second last over.

Jason Clements' blistering 4/34 off seven overs was the highlight for Maroota as it jumped into fourth on the ladder and sent Glossodia spiralling from third to fifth.

North Richmond recorded a comfortable win over Pitt Town at Richmond Oval to knock the Towners off the top of the ladder.