Rup-Minyip and Blackheath-Dimboola are in commanding positions ahead of day two while Homers have already wrapped up first innings points on day one.

A swashbuckling 137 by Paul Morgan helped Rup-Minyip pile on 339 from its 75 overs against Laharum at Minyip Oval.

Laharum had no response to the brutal batting display, despite its slim finals aspirations being on the line as earlier knocks by Mat Downer, 76, and Travis Hair, 52, were overshadowed.

The side will hope its batsmen can cash in early in a similar vein to Rup-Minyip’s line-up.

Dan Griffiths, Josh Mahoney, Ben Peucker and Damien Bunworth are the most likely candidates to step up. 

They will have to do it against a Rup-Minyip bowling line-up that has an increasingly good form line.

Clint Midgley, Ryan Metelmann and Glenn Morgan will heap on the pressure as the home side looks to prepare for a finals campaign.

The Homers batting line-up will benefit from valuable time in the middle at city oval ahead of the finals in its match against Jung.

Jarred Combe was the only batsman to go on with it and register a half-century on the first Saturday of play in difficult conditions for batting.

His score of 82 was supported by Chris Hopper, 38, Michael Langford, 22, and Simon Hopper, 20, on the way to being bowled out for 179 in 43 overs.

Combe delivered with the ball as well to claim four Jung wickets, before Chris Hopper did likewise to clean up the tail.

Any time spent in the middle at Horsham City Oval is crucial at this point in the season, with the association’s premier ground hosting all the main finals matches.

Marcus Williamson has the chance to build some form after bouncing around the Homers batting order when he resumes on seven at the start of the second day.

He will be joined by Sandy Hodge, who will be hungry for runs after managing only two in the side’s first innings.

Jung’s strength all season has been its bowling attack and it will hope to dig deep in order to prevent a long day in the field.

Blackheath-Dimboola requires another 21 runs to record an upset win against Horsham Saints at Coughlin Park.

Blackheath-Dimboola has had a disappointing season but knocked over the Saints in a one-day fixture early in the competition and looks likely to do so again on Saturday.

The side has eight wickets in hand with a full day to bat. Trent McGough will start the day unbeaten on 23 and will likely be joined by Hamish Exell, who comes into the side for the second day of play.

For the Saints it is another opportunity to test the resolve of its young line-up after a batting collapse on the first day. The side’s bowlers and fielders will need to work hard to prove the Saints can still be dangerous come finals.