A DRAMATIC batting collapse for the second time in as many matches has put White Hills’ hopes of figuring in the Bendigo District Cricket Association’s first XI finals in jeopardy.
A 114-run loss to Bendigo at the QEO knocked the Demons out of the top four.
White Hills, which has been in the top four for the majority of the season, must now win its final round clash on home turf against Kangaroo Flat and rely on Eaglehawk beating Bendigo United.
A victory for the fourth-placed Bendigo United on the Hawks’ turf at Canterbury Park would ensure the Redbacks another finals campaign.
The 13th round, which reverted to one-day contests, was a disastrous one for White Hills.
Bendigo won the toss and chose to bat on home turf.
The Goers scored 10 runs off the first over as opening batsmen Brett Andrews, 33, and Glenn Franzi teamed for a 93-run stand.
Andrews was caught by wicketkeeper Ryan McNish off the bowling of Tim Kelly just three deliveries before drinks and the Demons celebrated their first breakthrough.
Franzi and the in-form Petersen added 28 before Franzi’s fine innings of 59 was ended by a superb one-handed catch by Aaron Monro on the boundary.
A day after earning the man of the match award in the BDCA’s provincial group grand final victory at Melbourne Country Week, Petersen went on to score 41 runs before he was caught.
Stand-in captain Hayden Polglase and former captain Mark Ryan then lifted the target above 200 before Polglase, 42, was trapped leg before by Adam Hargreaves.
The Demons struck back to take three wickets in three overs as Kelly and Adam Hargreaves did the damage.
Ryan, 29 n.o., and Ryan Gundry, 7 n.o., scored 15 off the final two overs to lift Bendigo’s score to 6-231.
The Demons’ run-chase began with nine off the first over, but also the wicket of Monro, caught by James Seymour off the bowling of Michael Hill on two.
Excellent bowling by Hill and Tom Hartney put the Hillies under pressure.
McNish was caught by Mark Ryan to be Hartney’s first wicket of the contest, and Tim Kelly was then run out by Damian Wust as the Demons slumped to 3-25 off nine overs.
Darren Gregory was run out by Polglase, and Adam Hargreaves was caught by Tom Hartney off a Mark Ryan delivery.
At 5-71, the Demons were in strife.
White Hills captain Gavin Bowles and Daniel Larke teamed for a 30-run stand, but Ryan then took three wickets in four deliveries to seal victory.
Franzi took a catch in the gully, and Polglase then dismissed Larke, 20, as the Demons were bowled out for 117.
Ryan’s nine-over spell netted 4-25, included two maidens, and earned the five votes in the Bicknells Sports-Newbery Cricketer of the Year award.
Eaglehawk scored a crucial win on Kangaroo Flat’s turf at Dower Park.
The Hawks scored 162 as Jason Abbott, 32, Andrew Smith, 30, and Shane Taylor, 25, led the way.
Eaglehawk fought back from being 3-26 after Brent Hamblin dismissed captain Matt Fitt and Matt Ford, and then caught Andrew Bourne off the bowling of Matt Kile.
Abbott and Smith teamed for a 54-run stand which was the highest of the afternoon on the Flat’s ground. Kangaroo Flat youngster Mitchell Collins took the wickets of Abbott, Matt White, Cory Jacobs and Taylor as he finished with 4-27 off eight overs.
Hamblin, 3-42 off nine overs, and Kile, 1-13 off six, also bowled well on a day where Roos captain-coach Adam Burns did not take a wicket.
Burns had capped a superb week by leading the BDCA to victory in the Melbourne Country Week provincial group play-off against Kyabram on Friday.
The Roos’ batsmen battled against the Borough’s attack.
Smith took 4-13 off nine overs, including two maiden, and Richard Tibbett, Jacobs and Taylor all took two wickets apiece.
Leading run-scorer for the Kangaroos was No.9 Robert Haw as his innings 37 lifted the Flat from 7-61 to 111.
Bendigo United won a hard-fought battle with Huntly-North Bendigo at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington.
The Redbacks were wary of a Power line-up that went so close to victory in the previous contest.
After scoring half-centuries in his first two games in the first XI, Bendigo United opener Clint Prime was bowled by Sam McRae for the score to be 1-1.
The Linc McRae-led Huntly North Bendigo made another great start to have the Redbacks in trouble on 4-68.
The wicket spree included McRae catching drives off his bowling by Wayne Fidler and BUCC captain Matt Pinniger.
McRae took another catch off Lloyd’s bowling to dismiss Nick Crawford.
It was the oldest and the youngest players in Bendigo United’s team, Chris Pinniger and Harry Donegan, who teamed up to lead the fightback.Donegan scored 41 in a 64-run stand with Pinniger.
Premiership captains Pinniger, once, and Heath Behrens, twice, then finished unbeaten on 60 and 29 respectively as the target reached 181.
The Power’s surge towards victory was led by Ryan Grundy and Brodie McRae.
The opening batsmen scored at more than five an over as they capitalised on some short-pitched deliveries.Spin bowler Nick Crawford bowled Grundy with his first delivery to braek the 59-run stand.
Luke Steinborner then edged a Crawford delivery to Behrens at first slip.
A Marcus Smalley delivery was chopped by Lincoln McRae on to the stumps.
Two runs later and Brodie McRae’s fine innings of 48 was ended when he skied a Crawford delivery to Matt Pinniger.
Liam Jukes and Matt Rule were dismissed in quick succession by Crawford as United had taken 7-31 and was well in control.
The in-form Miggy Podosky had conceded few runs in his first overs and was rewarded when he bowled Lloyd.
Josh Collinson had struck a six and several fours on his way to 34 runs before he was bowled by Podosky.
Wickets by Chris Pinniger and Podosky clinched a 44-run victory for Bendigo United.
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