A heavy morning deluge left puddles on the pitch at Bodalla Oval, but the conditions had improved by 1pm for the game to go ahead as planned.

The Tigers made the most of the go-ahead, batting first and racking up a big total of 8/214.

Openers Paul Gallen and Gavin Ladmore got the defending champions off to an ideal start, recording a partnership of 54 before Gallen was the first to go on 26.

Ladmore was soon back in the sheds for 29, which brought Mick Smart to the crease.

His brother Gavin Smart (seven) didn’t last long up the other end but that didn’t stop Mick from going on to score a game-best 53.

Dan Smith added another 22 runs before Luke Condon put on a fired-up display late on – the young all-rounder smashed four fours and a six to finish on 26 not out.

Stu Piper (1/50) was the unlucky Bodalla bowler on the end of most of the treatment, while Jay Cupit pitched in with 2/28.

But the impressive Elijah Blair was the pick of the home side’s bowlers – he took three key wickets despite going for a rather expensive 88. 

Bodalla, knowing that the weather forecast looked gloomy, got things going straight away in its run chase when it smashed 14 off Andrew Malcolm’s opening over.

And perhaps that number was an omen of things to come as rain brought play to a grinding halt in the 14th for no result – Bodalla left stranded on 4/65 by that stage.

That left the Tigers on top of the competition table after the allotted 14 rounds, giving the Bay team a second minor premiership in as many seasons.

“Without gloating, that’s where we thought we would be at the start of the season,” Tigers batsman Ladmore said.

“We’ve got just about all the trophies and we want to hold onto them.”