Aaron Dragwidge and teenager Josh Hillier saw off the new ball, batting for 45 minutes for a 25-run partnership, but when they were dismissed within a run of each other the pattern was set.

The runaway batting train that was Dale Tormey pre-Christmas has somewhat derailed. Teams are denying him the freedom through the off side and runs are becoming hard to find. He worked hard for 26 before becoming the first of four victims for left arm spinner Michael Beer.

Rohan Wight and Tormey took the total to 3-84 before they fell within three runs of each other.

Wight looks the goods but hasn't delivered. In 10 out of his 13 innings he has scored between 10 and 37 and needs to fulfil his potential with a big innings. Tormey was the first of seven wickets to fall for just 19 in the Hawks' disappointing score of 103.

Sent in again, the Hawks made a better fist of things. Dragwidge (25) and Hillier put on a solid opening stand of 58, Tormey (19), Josh Henry (16) and Karageorgiou (24) kept the scoreboard ticking, but it was Hillier who stole the show.

He may well overtake fellow teenager Henry as the find of the summer by season's end. He finished on 84 not out from 161 balls. The Hawks' future looks bright with Tormey, Henry and Hillier leading the charge.

Coach Wendell Perumal would love some of his more experienced teammates to have Hillier's maturity and concentration at the crease.

The Hawks avoided the outright, finishing the day at 5-177. With two games to go the Hawks are 17th on the ladder.

The thirds were the story of the day for the Hawks, running down St Kilda's 314 for the loss of just three wickets with Pham leading the way with 163. The seconds didn't pursue an outright, batting on to accumulate 9-251 (Sriskandarajah 57, Trytell 62) in reply to the Saints' 113 and 3-177, while the fourths, after a battle, could not defend their first week's total of 178.