WHITE Hills crashed out of the Bendigo District Cricket Association’s top four after a disastrous batting performance in Saturday’s first XI clash with Strathfieldsaye.
The Demons were chasing 289 for victory on home turf, but were dismissed for just 67 runs.
An inspired spell of bowling by Jets’ coach David Rosaia, 4-19 off nine overs, soon had the Demons feeling the heat.
After an opening stand of 34 between Darren Gregory and Lincoln Jacobs, the Demons lost 10 wickets for 33 as Rosaia, Daniel Francis, 2-19; Cory Devanny, 2-7; and Ben Gunn, 2-0; did the damage.
The only other batsman to reach double figures was Daniel Larke, 11.
White Hills was sent back in by Jets captain Ben Devanny and reached 6-106 by stumps as Rosaia, 2-12, capped a superb match.
After being in the top four all summer, including many weeks on top, White Hills faces a huge challenge to qualify for the finals.
In the top-of-the-ladder clash, Strathdale-Maristians withstood a spirited fightback from Golden Square to win by a wicket.
Strathdale-Maristians dismissed Square for 151 on day one and resumed the chase for victory on 2-32 at Wade Street.
Suns’ skipper Linton Jacobs was in top form as he scored 60 runs.
At 3-111 the Suns looked to be cruising towards victory.
The match then swung dramatically as the Bulldogs captured 5-37 to put the pressure on the lower order.
Square’s wicket-taking spree was shared between Jamie Fitzgibbon, Darren Clutton, James Pietromonaco, Daniel Nalder and captain Grant Connelly.
With the score on 8-148, Ben DeAraugo teamed with Braden Hocking to score the winning runs for the Suns.
Best of the Bulldogs’ attack were Connelly, 3-19, Fitzgibbon and Pietromonaco who took two wickets apiece, and Nalder, whose 13-over spell included eight maidens as he took 1-9.
Bendigo United jumped back into the top four after clinching a dramatic win against Sandhurst at the QEO.
Results from earlier in the day meant the Dragons had won the battle for the John Turner Memorial Cup for the first time.
Sandhurst needed 288 for victory and made a promising start as Nick Scullie and Anthony West, 65, combined for a 90-run opening stand.
Bendigo United then hit back as Chris Pinniger took two wickets in quick succession.
At 4-133 the Dragons faced a tough ask, but a 97-run stand between Scullie and Joel Schneider, 40, put Sandhurst right back in the game.
A brilliant innings of 96 by Scullie was ended when caught by Heath Behrens off a Miggy Podosky delivery.
It was Podosky who turned the game once more as he also dismissed Schneider and Travis Crouch as the Redbacks took 4-29 and the Hurst was 8-259.
Andrew Sheehan and Tim Robertson teamed for a 14-run stand to be 9-273 when spinner Nick Crawford and second-game player Alex Culvenor combined to dismiss Robertson.
Sheehan and Scott Harper had added eight runs when Podosky struck again, this time with a run out in the final over for Bendigo United to clinch victory.
It was the second game running Sandhurst was defeated in the final over of a run chase on home turf. A brilliant century by No.3 batsman Darren Petersen was the highlight of Bendigo’s chase for victory at Eaglehawk.
Set a target of 252 to win the final leg of the Irene Knight Memorial trophy clashes between the clubs, Bendigo was well placed at 3-177.
Peterson had scored 117 of those runs before he was caught by Richard Tibbett off the bowling of Sam Fitt.
From there on it was the Hawks who siezed control of the contest through the superb bowling of Fitt, Tibbett and Andrew Smith to take 7-37.
The Goers slumped from 3-177 to all out 214 against an attack led by Tibbett, 4-58 off 18 overs, and Fitt, 2-15 off 10 overs.
Kangaroo Flat’s batsmen dominated on Huntly-North Bendigo’s turf at Strauch Reserve.
The Roos resumed on 0-62 in reply to the Power’s score of 149 and went on to reached 7-327.
Kangaroo Flat’s leading run-scorers of this summer, skipper Adam Burns and opening batsman Andrew Hosking both hit top score of 68 runs.
Ryan Metelmann, 54, marked another half-century and Brad Orton warmed up for Melbourne Country Week by scoring 41.
Talented youngster Brent Hamblin followed up his fine effort with the ball by scoring 32 runs.
Power’s opening bowler Sam McRae put in a marathon effort and took 2-92 off 34 overs.
Huntly-North Bendigo captain Linc McRae took two wickets, and Brett Elvey captured 1-44 off 22 overs, including 10 maidens.
The run home for the BDCA’s first XI teams:
Round 13 - Bendigo v White Hills at QEO, Strathdale-Maristians v Strathfieldsaye at Bell Oval, Kangaroo Flat v Eaglehawk at Dower Park, Bendigo United v Huntly-North Bendigo at Harry Trott Oval, Golden Square v Sandhurst at Wade Street.
Round 14 - Strathfieldsaye v Bendigo at Tannery Lane, White Hills v Kangaroo Flat at Scott Street, Eaglehawk v Bendigo United at Canterbury Park, Huntly-North Bendigo v Golden Square at Strauch Reserve, Sandhurst v Strathdale-Maristians at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
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