The reward – unbeaten and in top position.

Now the season heats up for the Roosters with three of their remaining four matches being against fellow top four teams Wendouree, Mt Clear and Golden Point.

The only exception will be East Ballarat.

First up is Wendouree in a one-dayer on Saturday after day one of the scheduled two-day round was washed out.

It is difficult to assess what difference playing the short form of the game will have on North Ballarat.

Wendouree is certainly strong under any conditions, with its batting depth unquestioned and ideally structured to go at any attack from the get-go.

While Cole Roscholler, back from the Australian Country championships, always shapes as the backbone of an innings, he demonstrated in Tuesday night’s T20 fixture when he hit 46 runs off 25 balls that can also let fly to set the scene for the likes of Tom Le Lievre, Heath Pyke, Gavin Webb and Jack Peeters.

North Ballarat has a lot on the line as it embarks on the second half of the season.

This is a big opportunity to prove that Roosters are on top to stay.

There is no reason why not. Leigh Lorenzen, Mick Nolan and Will Rogers have all delivered at the top of the order, Scott Wright has been reliable as always and Prabath Priyankara steady, while with the ball Ash McCafferty has led from the front with Adam Eddy and Dylan Price.

DARLEY has a lot on the line against Mt Clear.

Lose this one and the gap between the Lions and top four widens.

Of course this is the incentive for fourth-placed Mt Clear, with the chance to increase the cushion to the chasing pack led by Darley.

At the other end of the scale Brown Hill and Ballarat-Redan are playing to fend off bottom position.