The Bullants' decision to bat first paid dividends, with Kent Hair and Justtin Combe combining for a 50-run opening stand, before the former fell victim to Austin Merrett (2-47).

Combe would soon join his opening partner in the sheds, for a well-made 39, leaving skipper Matt Combe to steer the innings.

The former Vic Country representative rose the occasion, plundering seven boundaries on his way to a season-high 55.

Handy knocks from Josh Beddison (35) and Troy Dumesny (24*), saw the hosts finish their innings on 5-194.

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In response, it was left to Mitch Dahlenburg and first-drop Austin Smith to set a platform, following the early loss of Nathan Alexander.

The pair shouldered the responsibility, piling on 49 for the second-wicket before Dahlenburg (34) departed.

Smith soldiered on for the Warriors and found himself at the crease with the visitors needing 59 off the final seven overs, with six wickets in hand.

It wasn't to be for the Warriors' recruit, falling to Brendan Ward for 52. Ward would claim his second wicket the very next ball, making life difficult for the visitors.

Despite the best efforts of Trevor Polkinghorne (22*), and Henry Smith (13), the experience of Tony Caccaviello (3-24) at the death saw the Bullants reign supreme.

At Sunnyside, Homers tore through Rup-Minyip's batting stocks to claim a dominant seven-wicket win and consolidate their place at the top of the ladder.

With both openers dismissed without troubling the scorers, the Blue Panthers needed middle-order resolve to see off a rampant bowling attack.

Connor Weidemann (13) toiled hard, but when he departed with the score at 4-17, the hosts seized the momentum.

Mohan Bandara was the pick of the Homers' bowlers, finishing with figures of 4-19 off his allotment. Craig Britten (3-14) and Chaminda Gamage (2-10) played handy supporting roles.

Small, yet vital, contributions from the lower-order saw the visitors limp through to 53 before Homers closed the innings in the 27th over.

Early wickets would be Rup-Minyip's best hope of salvaging a result, and when Clint Midgeley (1-18) dismissed Jett Hopper to have the hosts 1-1, the most optimistic of supporters would have dared to dream.

Homers' skipper Adam Atwood had other ideas, shouldering the run chase and leading his side to its third-consecutive victory.

The opener finished unbeaten on 38, with Luke Deutscher (12) also offering a needed foil.

Lachlan Weidemann was a standout in defeat, claiming figures of 2-8 off a four-over spell that included three maidens.

At City Oval, Horsham Saints needed to improve to beat Jung Tigers, and a Jono Carroll wicket off the first ball of the game gifted the young side a perfect start.

Angus Adams (16) and Levi Mock (17) proved stubborn and helped their side navigate tight bowling to enter the drinks break at 2-37.

The Saints' bagged two wickets out of the break, before Tyler Puls and Tyler Neville swung momentum back in the hosts' favour with an 80-run fifth-wicker partnership.

Neville (48) and Puls (41) found boundaries with ease before both eventually fell victim to Shefat Rahman (2-17).

The Saints' found a flurry of late wickets, with Carroll taking his fifth with the last ball of the innings. The young opening bowler finished with figures of 5-23.

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Chasing 160, the visitors were soon in trouble at 2-7.

Things didn't get any easier, with the middle order again failing, to leave the Saints reeling at 5-39.

Shefat Rahman and Corey Smith went about resurrecting the run-chase but were pegged back by a tidy Tigers fielding outfit.

Rahman eventually departed for 27, with Smith (47) following suit two overs later, to end any hopes of a victory.

Codi Kenny (3-19) and Jake McLean (2-22) were the picks of the Tigers' bowlers, as the hosts restricted the Saints to 112.

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