The undermanned Cats went into the game without strike bowler Gavin McCallum (unavailable) or opening batsman Liam Andrew (eye injury).

They were further weakened about eight overs into Saturday's play when player-coach Darrel Brown had to race away from the Ransford Oval to be by the side of his wife Tash for the birth of his first child, a baby girl named Kya.

The Cats, defending 210, were in all sorts of trouble with the Royals racing to 2-140.

The Royals' star batsmen, Clint Hillas and Adam Contessa, were proving impenetrable and the visitors were a touch off colour.

"Early on we didn't bowl well," Cats president Steve McNamara told the Weekly.

"At tea they talked about making a concerted effort and one thing about this club is we

never lie down and we can win from any position.

"After tea the boys were just brilliant and every bowler contributed in their way."

Fawad Ahmed was instrumental in the Cats' stunning revival.

The leg-spinner produced a remarkable second spell to finish with 8-54 off 28 overs.

Ahmed's most prized wicket was that of Hillas, who was in the 70s and seemingly on his way to a ton.

He sent down a deceptive, flighted ball, which spun away from an advancing Hillas and had the Royals gun in two minds.

It ended with Cats keeper Will Gardner flicking off the bails for a stumping. "It was a tremendous ball," McNamara said.

"That was definitely the turning point in the game."

McNamara praised the ability to Trent Said to tie up an end.

He finished with 1-33 off 14 - but his value could not be measured in those stats.

"His capacity to tighten the screws was important," he said.

On a day where club leader Brown celebrated the safe arrival of his newborn, victory was just an "added bonus", according to McNamara.

"As soon as we won the game we spoke on the phone and he told us the baby was born," he said.

"It was definitely a drama-filled and emotional win for the club."

Seabrook missed out on a chance to lift itself off the Victorian Turf Cricket Association west B1 canvas and back in the finals hunting pack.

The Saints needed just 157 for victory over Sunshine Heights and failed to chase down the small total at Bruce Comben Reserve.

They were bowled out for just 115 and handed a 41-run victory to the Heights.

Werribee Centrals suffered a 195-run loss to East Keilor at Galvin Park.

The Centurions had no answer to the batting power of Easts wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Brodie, who smashed 190.