All-rounder Brad Parsons was the hero of the Pirates’ four-wicket win over third-placed Russells Creek. Parsons picked up 3-44 with the ball before leading a middle-order fightback with the bat that saw his side run down Creek’s imposing 8-214 with eight balls to spare.

Creek looked set for an upset win after Charlie Locke (55) and Shanaka Perumpuli (70) led the scoring and the tally looked even better when they reduced Port Fairy to 5-78.

But teenage brothers Travis and Brad Parsons combined for a match-defining sixth-wicket stand of 121. Travis, 16, made his maiden division one half-century with 53 off 80 balls, including three fours and a six. His 18-year-old sibling peeled off an impressive unbeaten knock of 74 from just 49 balls, including eight fours and three sixes.

“It was a real mature innings,” skipper Williams said of Brad’s knock.

“They were coming from good shots. He’d pick his shot, get a boundary and then just keep it ticking over which is something he has added to his game.”

Port Fairy is guaranteed a spot in the one-day semi-finals next month, undefeated in the 45-over a side competition. “At the start of the year if you had said we would be 4-2 after six games you have taken that,” he said.

“But obviously we are not getting too far ahead of ourselves. We have to keep training and working hard and improve.”

Woodford kept its unbeaten start to the one-day format intact with a crushing 153-run win over East Warrnambool-YCW. 

West Warrnambool scored its first one-day win of the season against Wesley-CBC.

The Panthers restricted Wesley-CBC to 9-121 before achieving the target six-wickets down with six overs remaining.