With 173 on the board at stumps on day one off the back of a Ross Cavill half century, Benalla headed into day two at the weekend needing some early wickets to kickstart its attack.
There would be no such luck, with the home side putting 56 runs on the board and withstanding 15 overs of the new ball before the breakthrough was made, with Steven Pickering finding a way past Ryan Collier to have the Rovers opener stumped.
After a slow start the Bushies soon found their rhythm, with Collier’s fellow opener Charith Perera soon departing for 51, caught off the bowling of Dale Stratton, and when skipper Brayden Stepien trapped opposing co-captain Paddy McNamara to have the home side 3-84, Benalla found some belief.
Stepien struck again to remove the other co-captain in Jeremy Wilson, before catching Matthew Whitten off his own bowling for a duck as Rovers fell to 5-99 and the Bushrangers found themselves on top of the contest.
Five down quickly became six, with number three Reid McNamara sent packing by Charlie Bull, while Ross Cavill got in on the act to have the home side 7-139, 35 runs from victory with just three wickets in hand.
Cavill pounced yet again to claim the eighth wicket of Cormac McNamara, as Rovers fell to 8-151, and Benalla was on the cusp of a brilliant win against the odds.
But Jacob Schonafinger had other ideas, with the Rovers number seven proving the thorn in the side of the Bushrangers.
Schonafinger played a brilliant innings to frustrate Benalla, making an invaluable 79 runs to help power his side across the line and deny the Bushrangers victory.
Alongside Brady Bartlett (29), the pair put on 67 for the ninth wicket, safely guiding Rovers to the win before Schonafinger was removed, with Bartlett falling shortly after as the Rovers were bowled out for 227.
Stepien led from the front for Benalla, claiming 4-59, while Steven Pickering (2-27) and Ross Cavill (2-46) each claimed multiple wickets also.
The Bushrangers return to Benalla Gardens Oval this Saturday for the final round of the home and away season, taking on Beechworth in a two-day contest as they look to finish their campaign on a high note.
