Setting big totals has been an issue for the Bushrangers this season, but at HP Barr Reserve in Wangaratta on Saturday afternoon, runs came easily.
The Bushrangers won the toss and elected to set a total on day one of their two-day match against City Colts Cricket Club.
Benalla got off to the best possible start as openers Priyank “Sunny” Chohan and Michael Honman settled in at the crease.
Sunny hit an impressive 84 runs off 130 balls, including 11 fours.
Honman hit 61 runs off 94 balls with eight fours to his name.
Both batsmen were eventually bowled by Matthew Lister and Kent Braden, respectively, but the damage was done by then.
The other top-order batsmen were unable to follow in the opener’s footsteps as the next four batsmen failed to make double-digit totals.
Kallum Croxford came in at seventh in the batting line-up and steadied the ship with an important 22 runs.
Conor Brodie also chipped in with 21 runs before being caught by Tyler Nason off a Kent Braden ball.
As he has done so many times this season, Gary Priest also stepped up in the lower order, adding 25 runs to the total and carrying his bat at the end of the innings.
City Colts bowled Benalla out for a total of 241 runs after 74.1 overs.
The innings score is one of the highest Benalla has set all season, putting it in the driving seat for Saturday’s final day of play.
In the A-reserve game at Benalla’s Gardens Oval, the day was owned by one man.
Simon Briggs was lethal with the ball in hand and tore through the City Colts line-up.
Briggs bowled six maidens from his 18 overs and picked up six wickets.
Rajinder Singh picked up two wickets, while Dylan Barber and Gurpreet Singh Mann took one a piece.
The efforts of the bowlers saw the Colts held to a total of 120 runs.
With time left to bat, Briggs still had more to give and put 35 runs on the board.
Along with three runs from fellow opener Blake Spokes, the Bushrangers ended the day at 0/40.
The second day of play this Saturday could be short and sweet if Benalla keeps going at the same rate.