It was a busy day for cricket on Saturday, with the double header opening round of the T20 competition seeing teams racing across the North East from one game to another.

Rovers United Bruck suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of the dangerous Yarrawonga Mulwala, the Lakers recording a convincing 42-run win at Norm Minns Oval.

Sent in to bat, the Lakers let the runs flow, putting up 6/146, led by Devlin Webb’s 81 off 56 balls.

Webb struck at 144.64, his anchor innings containing 10 boundaries and two maximums.

Ben Welsh (19* off 23) and Zac Fraser (20 off 13) also chipped in, while the Hawks’ bowlers couldn’t make serious inroads at crucial moments.

Jacob Schonafinger finished with 2/21 from his four overs, while Reid McNamara went at 7.75 from his four over allotment.

The Hawks have the batting power to chase the total, but the loss of early wickets stymied any initial momentum.

The top three of Charith Perera (four off three), Jordan Hansted (seven off 17) and Ryan Collier (four ball duck) were dismissed with little scoreboard impact, and while Schonafinger blasted a quickfire 26, he too was soon back in the sheds.

Matt Whitten (17* off 23) and number 11 batter Adriano Speziale (19 off 12) were the only other batters to reach double figures as the Lakers saluted, with Webb backing up his performance with the bat to take 5/8 off four overs.

It was a similarly difficult start for City Colts at McNamara Reserve, who were bundled up for 69 by Ovens Valley United chasing 8/142.

Winning the toss and bowling, the Colts managed to snare some early wickets, but Tigers opener Seamus Phillips would prove difficult to dislodge, hammering 76 from 53 balls.

Archie Crispin and Connor Ormond both picked up wickets, finishing with 2/24 each.

No Colts bowler went for less than six an over, but while expensive, Alasdair Brett finished with 3/28 from his four overs.

With the target set, the Colts never looked in the contest, with just two players making double figures, and no player facing more than 18 deliveries.

Both the Rovers and Colts were eager for a bounce back as they faced off for their second match of the day, from 4pm at Barr 2.

Ultimately, it would be the Hawks who would right the ship, taking the win by 27 runs after posting 9/127 from their 20 overs.

Perera and Hansted again failed to fire, but the rest of the batting order were able to put the runs on the board.

Ryan Collier top scored with 24 from 32, with handy contributions from Schonafinger (12 off 14), Reid McNamara (22 off 22), Jeremy Wilson (16 off 17), Matt Whitten (16 off 11), and Josh O’Donohue (11* off 12).

Connor Ormond was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 4/20 from his four overs.

The Colts’ top order was ripped apart by Ryan Barnes (3/20 from four) and Jacob Schonafinger (3/13 from four), in an innings which featured four ducks.

Despite counterattacking knocks from Connor Ormond (38* from 46) and Kent Braden (35 from 40), the Colts would run out of overs.

The T20 competition continues this weekend, with Beechworth hosting Rovers United Bruck, Benalla taking on the Colts at the Gardens Oval, and Yarrawonga Mulwala playing Wangaratta Magpies at Stan Hargreaves Oval.