CAPTAIN Linc McRae’s first century for Huntly-North Bendigo on Saturday propelled the Power to a 36-run win over Sandhurst and into a likely Bendigo District Cricket Assocation semi-final.Chasing Sandhurst’s challenging 7-260 in their round 13 match at Strauch Reserve, the Power passed their target four wickets down in the 79th over on the way to finishing at 4-296 to remain undefeated in two-day matches this season.The victory leaves the Power a game, plus 0.18 one per cent, clear of the fifth-placed Strathfieldsaye, meaning something would have to go horribly wrong in the last round against Strathdale-Maristians for the wooden-spooners of the past seven seasons to drop out of the top four.McRae had passed 50 five times this season before Saturday, but his match-winning knock was the first he had converted into triple figures as he made 119.The skipper was part of two crucial partnerships during the run-chase.Following the early dismissal of Ryan Grundy (4) in the eighth over with the score on 19, McRae and his brother, Brodie, put on 108 for the second wicket.Brodie McRae made 38 off 119 balls (four fours), before he was out in the 51st over, leaving the score 2-127. McRae then shared in a 91-run stand for the third wicket with Josh Collinson.McRae’s innings finally came to an end in the 72nd over when he was caught by Andrew Bourne off Elias Bowe with the score on 218.McRae’s 119 came off 225 balls and included 16 boundaries, with his innings taking his tally of runs for the season to 474.Collinson made 74 off 81 balls (12 fours and one six). He was out with the Power 12 runs short of victory, before Brannon Stanford (33 n.o.) and Isaac Hogan (15 n.o.) finished the job.Bowe (2-46) and Matthew Pask (2-51) were the only wicket-takers for Sandhurst, which squandered the chance to move into the top four with the loss.● Bendigo United retained second position on the ladder with a four-wicket win over Golden Square at MyJet Oval.In the battle of second versus third, the Redbacks answered Golden Square’s 9-243 with 6-247.The Redbacks had been 6-209 in the 78th over when skipper Leigh McDermott (37 off 67) was dismissed by young left-armer Steve Kairn (1-25), leaving the side needing 35 off 45 balls to win.With the game up for grabs, Patrick Naughtin (38 n.o. off 37) and Zac Mona (14 n.o. off 17) lifted the Redbacks past their target on the last ball of the 83rd over, before stumps were called.Earlier, Harry Donegan and Heath Behrens helped steady the Redbacks innings after openers Mark Di Fede (7 off 49) and Wayne Fidler (15 off 34) both fell within two deliveries of each with the score on 27.The pair took the score to 2-96 off 45 overs at tea, before the partnership ended four overs after the break when Behrens (38 off 103), who had looked in ominous touch, was caught at mid-wicket by Kairn off James Pietromonaco (2-42).Donegan top-scored for the Redbacks with 63 off 132 balls (seven fours and one six).● For the second game in a row, a lion-hearted bowling performance from Kangaroo Flat captain Adam Burns wasn’t enough to get the Roos over the line.Burns sent down 35 overs against Strathdale-Maristians and took 5-85, but the Suns answered the Roos’ 210 with 7-225.Kangaroo Flat was gallant in defeat, with the Suns taking until the second-last over to win the game at Dower Park.In the past two rounds against the Suns and Sandhurst, Burns has bowled a combined 68 overs and taken 12-132, along with his 36 overs in Melbourne last week at Country Week.Jonathan Davidson (63) and Dom Taylor (51) both made half-centuries for the Suns and shared in a 94-run partnership for the fourth wicket that started with the score on 3-50 in the 30th over.The Roos gave themselves a chance when Suns’ captain Linton Jacobs (26) was dismissed to leave the score 7-194, but Ben DeAraugo (17 n.o.) and Ryan Haythorpe (23 n.o.) added an unbeaten 31 to ensure Strathdale-Maristians remained at the top of the ladder.Burns’ five wickets were Travis King (16), Davidson, Taylor, Craig Howard (0) and Jacobs.Mitchell Collins (2-19) took the other two wickets to fall in Cameron Taylor (19) – who started the day well with a boundary off the first ball of the innings – and what had been the competition’s leading run-scorer, Andrew Chalkley (0).● Strathfieldsaye’s inconsistent season with the bat continued when the Jets lost to Eaglehawk in their Dennis Bice Shield match.The Jets’ finals hopes took a major dive as they were dismissed for 155 at Tannery Lane chasing the Hawks’ 8-230.The Jets were always on the backfoot after falling to 4-33 in the 17th over, with Adam Hargreaves (8), Ben Gunn (8), Tim Wood (2) and Martin Leyden (0) all out.The four early wickets to fall was in stark contrast to the previous round against White Hills when the Jets only lost four wickets for the match in making 4-274.The destroyer with the ball for the Hawks was Cory Jacobs.Jacobs claimed his first five-wicket haul for the Hawks as he finished with 5-52 off 20 overs.Four of Jacobs’ wickets were top-five batsmen.Only four Strathfieldsaye players made double figures.Ben Devanny top-scored with 53 off 143 balls to post his first half-century of the season.Opener Liam Smith batted into the 41st over as wickets tumbled around him to make a patient 37 off 122 balls, while the only other players in double figures were Greg Lyon (14) and Andrew Stove (13).Along with Jacobs, teenager Cameron McGlashan bowled well for the Hawks to take 3-25 off 12 overs.With the Jets hoping to pick up some vital percentage, they bowled for seven overs in the second innings, with the Hawks making 0-12.● White Hills is now out of the finals picture after losing to bottom side Bendigo at the Queen Elizabeth Oval.The Goers resumed at 2-83 after bowling White Hills out for 169 and answered with 240.After starting the day on 32, Bendigo captain Hayden Polglase made 81 to cap an outstanding game in which he took 5-46 off 15 overs on day one.Polglase’s 81 came off 221 balls and included eight boundaries and one six, with his innings ending after the Goers had passed their target.The Demons gave themselves a glimmer of hope early when Brayden Klemke (2-50) removed John Howorth (23) and Mark Ryan (0) in the first 25 minutes to leave Bendigo 4-92.But a 78-run partnership between Polglase and Glenn Franzi (37 off 108, seven fours) guided the Goers to their third win of the season.Damian Wust later made the most of batting with the game already won by making 46.