PANTHERS have returned to the winner's circle with a humiliating 178-run thumping of the hapless Western Bulls.
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Batting first at Sunset Oval on Saturday, Panthers posted a strong total of 207 from their 40-overs.
After slipping to 2-35, thanks to a pair of Matthew Dunn wickets, Panthers were forced to rebuild around Dan Tucker and Adrian Airey.
Tucker (42) and Airey (67) put on 101 to give Panthers a solid launching pad at 3-126.
Lower-order striking from Alex Amos (28) and Steve Andrews (29) boosted Panthers total, but the Twenty20 grand finalists felt they should've had more, having lost their last five wickets for just seven runs.
Chris Pooley was the best of the Bulls' bowers with 3-6, while spinner Nick Diamond returned figures of 3-59.
In reply the reigning Mid-Season Cup champions lost opening batsman Pooley in the first over run-out to start one of the most astounding collapses seen in Mount Isa cricket's history.
Regular strikes from Amos and Alister King completely dismantled the Bulls, who found themselves at an eye-popping 8-8 before eventually being rolled for a Mount Isa Cricket Association record-low 29.
The Bulls innings consisted of seven ducks, with Frank Long top-scoring with a meagre 11.
Amos (4-12) and King (4-13) returned four-wickets each as the Bulls innings lasted just 17 overs.
The mortifying loss comes on the back of last week's 223-run pummeling at the hands of Black Stars, leaving the Bulls winless in 40-over matches this season.
Mount Isa cricket know-it-all Fred Frost said the score was comfortably the lowest in the region's modern history.
``I don't even have to look at the records to tell you that's the lowest,'' he said.
The lowest score on record was produced by Townview in 2010, when they were bundled out for 41 by Cavaliers.
The Bulls previous worst also came against the Cavs, in 2007 when they were rolled for 76.
For Panthers it was an encouraging effort after dropping last week's match to the Cavaliers.
The batting department still requires improvement, after surrendering 20 to 30 runs by not completing the allotted 40-overs.
PANTHERS 207 (A. Airey 67, D. Tucker 42 and C. Pooley 3-6) defeated WESTERN BULLS 29 (F. Long 11, A. Amos 4-12 and A. King 4-13).
