Finance broker Consolidated Operations Group has moved to shore up its position in the bidding duel for finance company CML Group, announcing yesterday that it had acquired a 17.4 per cent stake in CML.CML shareholders are due to vote in the next couple of weeks on a proposed scheme of arrangement with COG and an alternative offer from Scottish Pacific.Last week the company announced that it was progressing the scheme with COG, which is "presently the best available transaction for shareholders".The CML board is maintaining its recommendation of the COG offer.However, the indicative and conditional offer from Scottish Pacific, worth 60 cents a share, "constituted a superior proposal" and Scottish Pacific is "progressing" its due diligence.COG's offer involves different cash and share options, which imply a scheme consideration of 48 cents a share.CML says it will provide a further update next week, ahead of a shareholder meeting.CML and COG announced their plans to merge last November. COG claims to be Australia's largest asset finance broker and aggregator, with a 17 per cent share. It also provides equipment leasing.CML is a specialist invoice finance and equipment finance provider. It has three wholesale funding facilities worth A$397 million.The parties presented their merger as a "fully integrated broking and finance platform".Scottish Pacific made its offer in mid-December. COG has not increased its consideration to match the Scottish Pacific offer.