THE make-up of the Bendigo District Cricket Association final four remains up in the air after Eaglehawk’s bowlers skittled Bendigo United for just 126 at Canterbury Park on Saturday.
Bendigo United remains favourite to retain fourth place, but its poor batting performance has left the door slightly ajar for fifth-placed White Hills.
The Demons, who started the final round one win and 0.16 per cent out of the top four, need to chase down Kangaroo Flat’s imposing total of 311 and hope that Eaglehawk’s batsmen can bat all day against Bendigo United and post a big score.
Bendigo United couldn’t have wished for a better start against Eaglehawk.
Openers Wayne Fidler and Clint Prime survived a fiery opening spell from young Hawk quick Richard Tibbett.
The duo put together their third 50-plus opening partnership in four games to have the Redbacks well placed at 0-65.
But when Fidler (31) edged a Tibbett delivery to Matt Ford, the Redbacks’ fortunes turned in dramatic style.
Prime fell a short time late for 27 before Heath Behrens and Matt Pinniger steadied the ship.
Pinniger pulled a Tibbett delivery for six, but tried to repeat the dose a short time later and was caught on the boundary by Andrew Smith, who reversed a worrying recent trend of dropping catches he’d usually swallow.From 2-96 the Redbacks lost their final eight wickets for 30 as Smith, Cory Jacobs and Tibbett bowled superbly.
Jacobs gained plenty of movement through the air in the humid conditions and claimed 3-22 off 20 overs.
His opening partner Tibbett claimed 3-56 off 28 overs, and Smith was his consisent self, taking 3-27 off 17 overs.
The only negative for the day for the Hawks was the late dismissal of skipper Matt Fitt for nine.
They’ll resume next week on 1-23.
With Strathdale-Maristians no certainty to defeat Sandhurst, a win for Eaglehawk would secure the Hawks second place and home-ground advantage for the semi-finals.
White Hills will need a couple of its top-order batsmen to repeat the performance of Kangaroo Flat’s Adam Burns and Andrew Hosking if it’s to have any chance of making the finals.Burns made an unbeaten 112 and Hosking fell one run short of his second century for the year to lead the Roos to 5-311.
Hosking and Burns capitalised on a beautiful batting wicket to add 170 for the third wicket.
It was Burns’ second ton for the season and took his season tally to 515 runs at an average of 64.38.
Hosking was dropped twice, but looked set to reach three figures before he edged a Rhys Irwin delivery through to wicket-keeper Ryan McNish.
It would have been the third-straight season Hosking had scored a century against White Hills.
In the corresponding game last year Hosking (123 not out) and Tony Taig (159 not out) put on an unbeaten 304 for the second wicket against the Demons.
In 2007-08, Hosking made a career-high 171 not out against White Hills.
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