It was expected to be a close clash between the second and third placed teams on the ladder but the latter of those - Pat's - easily chased down the Cavaliers' total of 178 within 30 overs.

Hugh Parsons (4-47) did the bulk of the damage as the Saints had Cavs all out two balls short of seeing out their 40 overs.

Saints opener Bailey Brien (66) had the bonus point in his sights from the outset, scoring quickly alongside Andrew Brown (33) in a 73-run opening stand.

Connor Slattery (26 not out), Derryn Clayton (21) and Adam Ryan (15) all chipped in to help Pat's reach the target in the 28th over.

The result has heated up the minor premiership race as St Pat's, on 41, now sit just a single point behind leaders Orange City.

BATHURST City's finals chances were given a big boost on Saturday as a match-winning century partnership between captain Joey Coughlan and young gun Tom Lynch provided plenty of fireworks at George Park 1.

Coughlan (93) and Lynch (70) put on 144 runs together against - the biggest opening wicket stand of the Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket season to date - to help Redbacks easily chase down CYMS' total of 219 with five overs to spare.

Lynch had already enjoyed an amazing day with the ball, taking 4-20, and had claimed the prized scalp of Tom Satterthwaite (78).

CYMS' number 10 Jack Cale hit a crucial 51 to rescue the team's innings and give them something to defend but the Redbacks opening duo with the bat were seeing the ball well.

City's Ben Orme impressed in his return from injury with 2-31.

The win for Redbacks has pushed them up to fifth on the ladder and turned up the pressure on CYMS in the process, who now sit 12 points out of the top four.

HE came close to a ton earlier in the Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket season but on Saturday Blake Weymouth wasn't going to be stopped as he broke the triple figure barrier in Orange City's win over Centrals.

Weymouth blasted an unbeaten 129, lasting all 40 overs of the City innings to take his side to 3-239.

He was supported along the way by Lachlan Coyte (37) - with whom Weymouth put on a first wicket partnership of 80 - plus Shaun Grenfell (33 not out).

Zac Reimer (1-37), Matt Ripps (1-38) and Edward Dodds (1-45) were the wicket takers.

Centrals put up a fight in their chase thanks to handy efforts from Max Powell (51) and Cameron Rasmussen (41), who had the game evenly poised at 3-147.

Powell's dismissal was the beginning of the end for Centrals who eventually fell for 197.

Ed Morrish (3-25) and Harry McGregor (3-38) were the best of the City bowlers.

CENTENNIALS Bulls duo Daniel Bryant and Mick Hutchinson did it all for their team in Saturday's big Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket victory over Kinross.

In the game at the Sportsground pitting together the bottom two teams on the ladder it was the Bulls who took control early with Bryant leading the way with the bat on 60 and Hutchinson not far behind with his unbeaten 55.

Along with a 35-run effort from the team's overall leading run scorer Blake Aubin, the hosts made their way to an imposing total of 7-266 from their 40 overs.

Angus Staniforth provided a sound resistance with his top score of 52 but he received very little help along the way, with the Kinross tail capitulating for 6-41.

Staniforth was the last of the Kinross batsmen to fall, becoming Bryant's three victim of the innings and leaving the visitors short of the target on 158.

Bryant ended the innings as the leading bowler on 3-17 while Pat McCleary also starred with 3-30. Hutchinson ended up with 2-10.

IN one of the games of the Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket season Rugby Union held on for a nine run win over City Colts at Loco Oval.

Led by a captain's knock of 65 from Ryan Peacock plus contributions from Imran Qureshi (41) and Oliver Newton (31), Rugby Union made their way to 5-220.

Russ Gardner (61) and Colts captain Dan Casey (62 not out) rescued their side from what appeared to be a torrid situation at 5-90, putting on 88 together.

It was Gardner's fourth straight 50-plus score in BOIDC.

But the Rugby bowlers held their nerve in face of the attack, led by Hugh McIntyre (3-40), as they keep the required run rate ticking up until Colts couldn't keep up.

Victory has sent Rugby inside the top four while Colts drop back to sixth, now trailing Bathurst City.