ANU must be getting sick of the sight of Michael Spaseski after the Eastlake skipper terrorised it again with a blistering century at Kingston Oval on Saturday.
With his side in strife at 2-1 when he strode to the crease, Spaseski hammered 181 runs off 218 balls to help the Demons to a strong position after day one of the two-day clash.
Spaseski scored 220 the last time the two sides met and he was again the difference as he helped his team to a first innings 9-308 (dec) on a tough deck.
His 218-ball knock included 16 fours and a six, and breathed life into the Demons' final hopes.
Spaseski was the only Eastlake batsman to score more than 30, with ANU 1-19 in reply after Max Maciver dismissed opener Balinder Singh Khillan for 10.
"The pitch in the morning was really hard work, it was wet and doing a bit early on," Spaseski said.
"I had to knuckle in, especially after we lost two wickets in the first two overs. It was good to get past that period and a few other boys did well to hang around.
"It was about survival the first 50 runs and once it dried out and became flatter I could open up and play a few more shots.
It probably wasn't the prettiest innings I've ever played, but you've got to get them somehow. You can't complain making 180.
"Hopefully we can get a roll on next week and take a few quick wickets."
Spaseski said a good result this round was crucial to keep pace with the top four.
"It's a big part of the two-dayers to be at the top of the table early," he said.
"We know how hard it is to stack up points at the end of the year. Hopefully we get the result and I think we've just got our heads in front this game."
The battle between second and third at Freebody Oval is evenly poised, with Queanbeyan 3-113 in response to Wests' first innings 248.
Ethan Bartlett scored a season-high 81 for Wests and received solid support from Joshua Boyd (49), with Edward Barnard (3-58) and Alex Page (3-50) the chief destroyers for Queanbeyan.
Blue Bags opener Henry Hunt is unbeaten on 62 off 108 balls in Queanbeyan's run chase.
At Stirling Oval Sam Thornton (88) and skipper Michael Barrington-Smith (77) guided Tuggeranong Valley to a first innings total of 8-302 (dec) with Djali Bloomfield (2-46) and Macalister Wright (3-64) the main wicket-takers for Weston Creek Molonglo.
Weston Creek is 0-16 in reply.
Norths was dismissed for 212 in its first innings against Ginninderra, with the visitors 1-32 at stumps.
