Two of the competitions' in-form sides met at Lady Cutler 2 on Saturday and a Ben Taylor-inspired Blues outfit dismissed the defending premiers for 170.

Taylor claimed 5-54 from 17 overs, his first five wicket haul for this season, to give his side every chance of claiming first innings points.

But in the final 20 overs of the day, four Macquarie batsmen departed, leaving the Blues at 4-62 and in need of a further 109 runs on day two next week.

"It wasn't the best start with the bat but to bowl them out for 170 was great, especially at Lady Cutler," Brien said.

"Sometime you can be chasing 300 down there so we were happy."

Colts, missing key players Greg Buckley, Jason Ryan, Marty Jeffrey and Tim Cox, could have been dismissed for even less.

At one stage they were 8-94 but a 66 run ninth-wicket stand between Ben Semmler (33 not out) and Ed Morrish helped add some respectability to the scoreline.

Earlier in the innings, the Colts batsmen struggled dealing with Taylor and Brien, who was forced to revert back to his old role as a wicketkeeper for the match, was amazed by the left-arm quick's control and tactics.

"He changed it up a lot and he had actually said he was going to be the bloke who'd bowl from one end and tie them down and work wickets from the other end but he got the ball to do a bit," he said.

"I had to keep so it was good to see him set blokes up and work them over.

"He bowled to a plan and I think we've missed that in recent season, a guy who thinks blokes out rather than trying to get a wicket every ball and his five for was a good reward."

Brien added Semmler and Morrish batted well for their runs but confessed the heat during the day meant his bowlers tired during the later overs.

After chipping in with some useful runs, Morrish then claimed the first Macquarie wicket when he trapped Nic Cosier (9) in front.

Angus Cusack (13) was then run out before spinner Nathan Jones claimed Ed Haylock's (18) wicket.

Just when it seemed Macquarie had done enough to get through the day, Ben Semmler produced a peach of an inswinger on the final delivery before stumps to bowl Mitch Williams-Hedges (0).

Despite the losses, the Blues still have the in-form Jason Green (21 not out) at the crease and a number of batting options left in the sheds.

"Dan Medway will probably go in with 'Greeny' Next week and there's myself, 'B.T' (Taylor), Dalton (Medcalf) and a few others and we need about 100 so we've got to back ourselves," Brien said.

"We just want to keep on winning because that gets in your system and you keep winning.

"We want it to keep happening so we could possibly push up to first if other results go our ways.

"we're focused on ourselves and getting third but we're hopeful things will go our way."