NSW Country (12 points) sit equal second on the overall standings alongside hosts Queensland and Victoria, who they meet on Thursday and Friday respectively, after taking on frontrunners Western Australia (14) on Wednesday.

Results in those games will go a long way to determining which two states will make Saturday's final.

This follows the Bush Blues recording back-to-back wins in their opening 50-over fixtures against ACT on Tuesday and South Australia on Monday.

Caleb Ziebell claimed 4-5 and Scott Burkinshaw 3-24 as NSW Country bundled out ACT for 92 inside 29 overs at Middle Ridge Park.

The Bush Blues then reached the target three wickets down in 22.4 overs with No.3 Kerrod White, who made 115 on Monday, backing up with 52 not out.

Meanwhile, also in Toowoomba on Tuesday, the Bush Breakers suffered their first loss of the national women's tournament to joint leaders East Asia Pacific but bounced back against Queensland.

NSW Country were bundled out for 87 against EAP, who chased the target three wickets down in 18.3 overs, before successfully defending 7-113 against the hosts (7-91), including 2-13 from Maitland leg-spinner Jaclyn Vickery.

The Bush Breakers now have T20 encounters with Queensland on Wednesday and Western Australia on Thursday before play-offs start on Friday.

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