Coach Stephen Blacker said the Gators were targeting next month’s one-day semi-final after they extended their unbeaten start to the 45-over a side format with a 111-run victory over second-placed Dennington.

“We are in it to win it in terms of every game we play,” Blacker said.

“We will try and qualify for the one-day finals — that is the short-term aim, but ultimately we want to win the big one.”

In a scary prediction for rivals, Blacker said the Gators, who have won five of their six matches so far this season, including Twenty20s, had room to improve.

“I would hope our side is a better two-day side than a one-day side,” he said.

The Gators have built an envious amount of depth at the club, which Blacker expects will be critical as the season unfolds.

While Allansford can afford to start looking ahead to the possibility of a semi-final appearance, Blacker said his side was yet to face long-time rival Nestles and 2013-14 premier Merrivale.

The Gators set up their win against Dennington with openers Tim McDonald (35) and captain Nick Maddison (88) sharing a 93-run opening stand as they made an imposing 6-213.

The competition’s most economical opening bowling partnership of Kyall Timms (3-14) and Ben Boyd (1-15) strangled Dennington’s top order, reducing the Dogs to 4-21 from 12 overs. That set a platform for spinner Matt Brophy, who finished with 5-39 off 8.2 overs.

Blacker said Brophy’s development as a strike bowler had accelerated this season.

A medial ligament injury cut short his football season with North Warrnambool Eagles, giving him a better run at cricket’s pre-season.

“He’s gone to another level,” Blacker said.

“He’s a significantly better bowler. He’s smarter, he’s turning it a lot more and he has a few more tricks up his sleeve.”

A former captain and the current skipper produced stunning individual performances to help Brierly-Christ Church score a morale-boosting win over Nestles at Reid Oval.

Top order batsman Nathan Murphy made an unbeaten 104 for the Bulls as they set Nestles a challenging target of 6-166. Murphy and teenager Michael Boyd (22) were the only Bulls to make double figures as they shared a 97-run stand for the third wicket.

After losing an early wicket, Nestles opener Peter Mitchell (79) and representative skipper Brett Eldridge (22) threatened to turn the game with a 49-run stand before Bulls captain Leigh Pollard claimed Eldridge’s prized-scalp. Pollard, a right-arm off-spinner, finished with 6-47 off nine overs as Nestles was dismissed 11 runs short of the target.

Pollard was delighted with his side’s first win in the one-day format, lifting the Bulls off the bottom of the table, ahead of Nestles.

He said tight bowling early by Shane Murphy, Matthew Hill and Col Pascoe had built pressure on Nestles’ middle order as the Factory reached 1-20 off 14 overs.

Pollard then opted to make Nestles force the pace.

“I knew if we took the pace off the ball it would be hard for them to chase the runs down,” Pollard said of a slowing pitch.

He said it was important his young side had a good win.

“We tried to avoid the pressure during the week,” he said.

“We’ve got to win these games against Nestles and Nirranda so we can continue to grow ourselves. If we want to develop and become a powerhouse of the competition, these are the games we have to win.”

He said the Bulls would take great confidence into Saturday’s match against Merrivale as they continue to get game time into a crop of young players.

In the other Hopkins conference match, Merrivale scored a 29-run win over Nirranda to leap up the table. A 90-run opening stand between Josh Stapleton (61) and Jeremy Burgess (58) laid the platform for the Tigers’ 8-216.