A blistering Blake Dean onslaught with both bat and ball has put Weston Creek Molonglo in control of the Douglas Cup final.
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Creek will resume on Saturday at 4-278 at Kippax Oval with a lead of 103 runs after an entertaining opening day against two-time defending champions Wests/UC.
Adelaide Strikers batsman Jono Dean is at the crease unbeaten on 68 with Warren Clunes on 24.
Blake Dean was the standout performer on Friday, ripping through the Wests/UC batting order to take 7-48 with his leg-spinners to roll the opposition for 175.
The all-rounder then stamped his imprint on the final with the bat, belting a lightning-quick 81 from just 42 balls at the top of the order.
But Blake Dean said it was too early to write Wests/UC off and it was imperative Creek pushed on to extend its advtange.
"Pretty stoked, but it's a more important day tomorrow," Blake Dean said.
"Hopefully Jono can turn up and we can get the win.
"The game's not over, they'll play right to the end."
It was a sentiment shared by Wests/UC captain Ben Oakley.
"You've always got to have hope," Oakley said.
"Obviously a tough day for us, a bit of a wet wicket early, suppose to make it last for three days so it was an important toss.
"We could have knuckled down a bit more at the start, but them's the breaks."
Creek is attempting to win the Douglas Cup after finishing fourth at the end of the regular season.
It upset minor premiers Eastlake in last weekend's semi-final to progress to the final, chasing its first two-day premiership since 2008-09.
Creek is also attempting to deny Wests/UC a third straight two-day title and gain revenge for their thrilling four-run loss in the Gallop Cup 50-over final in February.
Creek made the most of winning the toss and made early in-roads into Wests/UC's batting order.
"They just didn't show much intent when they were batting," Blake Dean said.
"We bowled areas and Cade Brown gave us a serve about halfway in through the session, then we bloody switched on."
Dean was almost unplayable with his accurate leg-spin before unleashing with the bat.
"He was really hard to face and he got that score for them," Oakley said.
"Coming out with a bit of confidence he's tried to hit almost everything and got away with it for a while.
"Trying not to run singles batting with the No 6, Jono's putting a price on his wicket, so if we can get him early we'll see what happens."
In the second grade final, Wests/UC will resume at 0-33 in reply to Queanbeyan's total of 240 at Harrison.
Play resumes at 11am.
