Having lost the toss, the home side were asked to bat first on what promised to be a very spicy deck.

After another brisk opening featuring the stroke-play of opener Anthony Mortimer (25), Batemans Bay then built slowly and patiently until the loss of the second wicket, Stephen Knight (19).

His partnership of 34 with young tyro Ryan Hall (45) looked to set a platform for the home team.

Hall batted watchfully as he looked to occupy the crease, waiting for the wicket to flatten out.

However, as has often been the case this season, one wicket brought a few, and the Bay side experienced something of a mini collapse, losing three top-order wickets for only six runs.

Dan Smith (22) set about reconstructing the home side’s innings and looked largely untroubled at the crease until he clipped a delivery in the air and was well caught by C. Dorrell.

Ulladulla captain, Tony Lavelle, dried up the scoring of the Bay team, taking wickets at regular intervals, as he collected the tidy figures of 4-52 from 17 overs.

Ulladulla toiled valiantly in the field, never shirking their work. Energetic wicket-keeper, Rocky Lavelle kept all batsmen on their toes, effecting a sharp stumping and taking two catches late in the day.

A fruitful ninth wicket partnership of 45 between Sean Griffin (17n.o.) and Lachlan Croke (27 n.o.) lifted the home team’s score to 8 for 193, and a declaration was made.

A difficult 30-minute session failed to deliver the wickets as was hoped, as near misses frustrated the Batemans Bay bowlers as the day’s play drew to a close. The chances of the home side will largely depend on a sustained bowling and fielding effort. Ulladulla will continue its first innings this Saturday at 0-20, 174 runs adrift.