The Demons claimed last season's wooden spoon after winning only two of their nine matches.

It was a much brighter start for the team this time around as it upset St Arnaud, which was within two runs of playing in last season's grand final.

Playing at home at Wycheproof, Demons skipper Cody Turner won the toss and elected to bat.

It proved to be the right move, as Turner made 40 runs before being caught off the bowling of Harley Durward.

Fellow top-order batsmen Tom Trewin and Johnathon Grylls also fired.

Grylls was the first to fall, caught off Bruce Hando's bowling, and Carl Torney ran Trewin out for 63.

Wicket-keeper James Allan made a 14-run cameo at the end of the innings to take Wycheproof-Narraport to 4-170 from its 40 overs.

Initially St Arnaud looked to be on track in its run chase, but lost three quick wickets on two separate occasions to dig itself a hole.

The Saints put 40 runs on the board without loss, but when Kurt Torney fell to Turner's bowling the team slumped.

Brad Williams and Jacob Patching followed Torney off the field in quick succession to leave St Arnaud at 3-45.

The team looked to be back on track when trouble struck again in the 70s.

Corey Harrison removed Carl Torney for 10, with Harley Durward, 17, and Jordan Summers following.

Ollie Grimshaw caught and bowled Summers for a duck.

At 7-78 the Saints had too much ground to make up in too few overs.

They were all out for 109 at the 30-over mark, 61 runs short of Wycheproof-Narraport's total.

Donald managed to avoid an upset but was pushed in its match against Jeffcott at Donald.

The home team elected to bat after winning the toss, but the Jeffcott attack was on top early on.

Jarred Newell, duck, Jake Leith, two runs, and Edward Landwehr, duck, all fell rapidly to leave Donald foundering at 3-2.

Dylan Ruurds was another early victim, adding only one run before being caught off Brody Haddow's bowling.

Haddow and Nick Atkins claimed three wickets each.

Skipper Dion Hawkes was the one to save Donald.

Hawkes put together an innings of 58 as partners fell around him.

Matt Gilmour contributed 44 invaluable runs later in the innings to resurrect Donald and give it a defendable total of 8-150.

Jeffcott tried hard to chase down the score but fell just short.

Captain Bradley Burke's total of 29 runs was the highest on the team, followed by Mathew House on 23.

None of the Jeffcott batsmen found the big individual innings the side needed, and the side was bowled out 16 runs short of the total with three balls left in the innings.