The weather had reached 30 degrees and higher, the visiting Valleys had cruised to 3-124 and there was a real prospect of the hosts remaining in the field for the full 80overs.

"We looked to be in a bit of strife," Lakers skipper Glen Jones said, and he wasn't whistling Dixie.

The Lakers turned the tide in stunning fashion after the break.

The wickets began to tumble and the Valleys lost their last seven wickets for 84 runs to be all out for 208.

"The boys came out after tea and stood up," Jones said. "We put up a really good fight."

At the forefront of the revival was medium pacer Ben Bonavia.

The former Sunshine sub-district player took 4-36 off 19 overs bowling into the wind.

Left-arm speedster James Vistarini also played an important role with a miserly 1-24 off 11 overs.

The Lakers were 2-54 at stumps with Kumara Gangodawila and Shahan Withanage at the crease.

With his side sitting in third place and a gruelling schedule ahead in the run to the finals, Jones agrees this Saturday could be season defining for his team this summer.

"It's like a final," he said.

"We need to win it because we've got a tough run home."

VTCA SCOREBOARD

North division: Altona North 90 (Andrews 6-16 Roach 4-20) v Sunshine Druids 3-71 (T McKerracher 38no); Sunshine United 9-203 (Pace 79 Williams 50) v Westmeadows; Tullamarine 225 (Carland 2-27 Rodrigo 2-28 Ravenello 2-40 Murden 2-53) v Keilor Park 1-0; Keilor 6-279dec (Hussain 122 Law 113) v Old Essendon Grammarians 1-3.

North A1: St Albans 86 v Laverton 8-74 (Pizaro 4-16 Clutton 2-14); Taylors Lakes 2-54 v Moonee Valley 208 (Bonavia 4-36).

West B1: Sunshine YCW 91 (Wilson 26) v Barkly Street Uniting 7-76 (Schwartz 4-34 Grainger 3-32); Sunshine Heights 0-6 v St Andrews 285 (Singh 3-80 Gatt 2-43 Charlton 2-45).