After a month of competition, City Colts’ A grade side claimed their first scalp of the season on Saturday, shutting down Benalla Bushrangers at the Gardens Oval.

Asked to bat first, the boys in blue completed their 45 over innings with 6/184 on the board, before ripping through the 'Bushies, all out for 125.

The Colts’ top order was happy to take their time working into the innings – after Thomas Moore was dismissed for 15, Ben Feldtmann (20 off 95 balls) and skipper Aaron Thrum (46 from 71) set about building a partnership worth 68 before a mishit shot off the bowling of Fletcher Paul sent Thrum packing.

Will Petersen was stumped after a vigilant guard for eight runs, but Alasdair Brett (27 from 28) and Max Marek (30 from 30) made their runs at a clip.

Some big swings from Jed Marek (17* from 10) and clever running from Connor Ormond (5* from five) closed out the innings, with skipper Thrum pleased with the total his team set.

“I was really happy with how it went, we got a good total on, took early wickets, we did everything we wanted to do, the boys just played really well,” he said.

“We knew we’re not going to blast teams away in 30 overs, we’ve made it pretty clear we wanted 45 [overs].

“In the first few games, the top order hasn’t really gone as deep as we would’ve liked, and on Saturday they did.

“Ali [Alasdair Brett] and Max [Marek] especially showed towards the 35-40 mark how to go about it.

“They both went a run a ball, it was a bit different to what we had in the first couple of rounds, but they just showed their class and their ability to hold down five and six no matter the situation.

“They’ve been building towards that through juniors, they know how to score, they know how to play.

“I’m just really impressed to see it finally come at the top level.”

With the runs on the board, it was time for the Colts’ bowlers to show their class, and show it they did.

While Benalla’s formidable Brayden Stepien got off to a start, at the other end, James Carboon was undone by an absolute peach from Jed Marek in the third over.

Carboon’s attempted drive left a gap in his defence, with the perfectly delivered ball cannoning into the top of the off stump.

Marek snared his second wicket in his next over when Stepien picked out Max Marek at point with a lofted drive, Benalla in trouble at 2/27.

The Colts were able to chip away with wickets regularly, and while Corey Petersen was sometime errant with his deliveries, he was able to extract just enough movement to find the edge of Vaugh Kirk (11 from 23) and Jonty Priest (8 from 21), with Thrum doing the rest behind the stumps.

Petersen would strike again in the 15th over, again combining with Thrum to dismiss Lee Brennan from two, the Colts well and truly on top with Benalla reeling at 5/67.

Harvey Moore would turn the pressure up on the Bushrangers, taking wickets and bowling consistent dot balls to claim match figures of 2/13 from his seven overs.

Alasdair Brett (1/15), Connor Ormond (1/19) and Archie Crispin (1/19) would all chip in with valuable efforts with the ball, with the Colts securing the 10th wicket and the win with the first ball of the 38th over.

“Everyone who bowled, bowled well, I couldn’t ask for more from them to be honest,” Thrum said.

“Steppo [Brayden Stepien] got a few boundaries away early and it was really important we didn’t drop our heads and make sure that when the chance came, we took it.

“Jed was superb, Corey didn’t bowl at his best but when he was on, he was on.

“He [Harvey Moore] has been superb, he’s stepped up really well this year, he’s probably our most consistent bowler.

“It’s a captain’s dream, to be able to bowl him consistently throughout the middle overs.

“The boys have gone through juniors together, they’re a pretty tight-knit group, so to get a win, to get that reward for effort, they’ve been trying their guts out all through the preseason and through the season, so I’m really happy for them.”