Newtown & Chilwell opened up a nine-point gap between it and fifth placed South Barwon on the GCA Division 1 ladder on Saturday January 28.
The Two Blues were too good for a gallant Highton, which is still searching for its first win of the campaign.
Dylan Hodge’s whirlwind 61 not out from 58 deliveries got the Two Blues to a reasonable total after they were 6/106.
The top order of Sam Mitchell (21), Pat McKenna (28) and Tom Meredith (23) all got starts, but Nash Viney (3/28) got things back on track for Highton.
In the end, 8/206 was a decent total given the early trouble the Two Blues found themselves in.
Highton fell 28 runs short with George Willows (69) and James Gillard (55) getting half-centuries, but Viney (24) was the only other batter to reach double figures as Hodge and John Simson both took four wickets to get Newtown & Chilwell home.
A superb unbeaten 112 from Lachlan Inglis piloted East Belmont to a 77-run win against South Barwon.
Inglis passed 300 runs for the season during his knock, which contained nine boundaries and a six and lasted for 128 deliveries.
East Belmont made a hefty 4/267 and although South Barwon had its moments during its run chase through Leigh Lorenzen (59), Dylan McMahon came on late to snare 3/22 to give his side the six points.
North Geelong was in all sorts of trouble against Grovedale, but still found enough to win comfortably.
The Magpies were 5/24 and then 7/52, but Alistair McCann (80 not out) and Tom Mathieson (54) rescued the innings with a 114-run stand.
Sam Soutts took 3/32 for Grovedale, but a run chase of 182 for victory was always going to be tough.
And tough it proved to be as Dale Kerr (3/11) smashed through the top order to have the Tigers all out for just 49.
Lara brought up its second win of the season with a three-wicket win against St Joseph’s.
Joeys batted first and made 7/198 with Luke Ibbs (55) and Troy Nolan (43) getting runs.
But Lara got the required runs with more than three overs to spare on the back of a fine 80 not out from Robert Sodomaco and 43 from Daniel Hughes.
