Benalla Bushrangers claimed their biggest win of the year at the Gardens Oval on Saturday, while Ovens Valley stepped closer to a home final.

The Bushies celebrated hard over picking up a three-wicket win over Beechworth Wanderers, just their third win of the one-day competition.

Benalla bowled the Wanderers out for 199 with three balls left in the innings, before making 7/200.

Winning the toss and batting first, Beechworth were in a precarious situation early when Conor Brodie and Fletcher Paul picked up the early wickets of Rama Schultz and Will Prebble for four and two, respectively.

The dependable Brenton Surrey would work with his team to elevate the score, making 42 off 45, with Beechworth’s number four batter recording an 86-ball half-century.

A handful of handy knocks through the middle and lower order helped the total climb to respectable levels, with Jonathan Carson’s 25 off 35 balls and Matt Ryan’s 16 from 26 vital is pointing a semi-competitive total.

Vaughan Kirk was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 3/38 from his 7.3 overs, while Brayden Stepien (1/25 off eight) and Dale Stratton (2/19 from seven) were impactful and economical.

The Bushrangers needed to go at a tick above eight runs an over for the entire innings, a daunting prospect, but completely achievable.

Stepien and Jonty Priest led from the front, forging an 86-run opening stand to get the Bushrangers off to a flyer.

Priest was happy to absorb pressure and left well, while Stepien displayed his aggressive nature, striking at over 100.

Both would record half centuries, but it would be Stepien to depart first, edging a Jonathan Carson offspinner into the waiting gloves of Brenton Surrey.

James Carboon’s 22 from 34 and Vaughan Kirk’s 35-ball 10 kept the momentum rolling, but it would be Paul (11* off 11) and Brodie (12* off nine) at the crease when they passed the total.

Beechworth’s bowling didn’t help matters, gifting 21 runs in extras, but Will Prebble (2/21 off seven), Jonathan Carson (2/24 off nine), and Richard Worcester (2/37 off eight) bowled well.

The Bushrangers leapfrog the Wanderers on the ladder into fifth, still a chance to make finals if all goes their way over the next month.

Over at McNamara Reserve, Ovens Valley United closed in on a home final with a composed five-wicket win over the City Colts, chasing down the Colts’ 9/154 total in 30 overs.

Batting first, the young Colts struggled to rotate strike effectively, with opener Ben Fledtmann edging off if the third over with the Colts yet to score.

There would be handy starts right down the list, but not an innings of note until the experienced Kent Braden came to the crease.

Coming in at 5/78, Braden stood tall, hammering a run-a-ball 52*, but he was powerless to stop the steady stream of wickets falling at the other end.

While only putting 154 on the board, the Colts batted their full innings, a positive against the Tigers’ formidable bowling attack.

Noah White (3/31 off nine), Joe Monk (2/24 off nine) and James Neary (2/33 off nine) did the damage with the ball.

With a target to chase, the Tigers top order put the Colts to the sword, with Daniel Saville (35 off 60) and Geeth Alwis (46 off 46) getting the home side within 40 runs of victory before the middle order saw them home.

Jed Marek was impactful with the ball, finishing with 3/39 from his six overs.

The Tigers now sit a game clear in second, with a home final within reach.