TONY Taig and Andrew Hosking combined to set a new Kangaroo Flat record partnership as the Roos recorded a stunning win over White Hills in their Bendigo District Cricket Association clash on Saturday.
Chasing the Demons’ imposing 9-298 at Dower Park, the Roos’ pursuit got off to a disastrous start when out-of-sorts opener Simon Dundas (0) was trapped lbw by Tyrone Downie (1-39) on the eighth ball of the day, leaving the score at 1-2.
Dundas, who made his fifth duck in his past eight innings, was dismissed at 12.51pm - the Demons wouldn’t take another wicket for the remaining 254 minutes of the day’s play.
From 1-2, Taig and Hosking took the score to 1-306 before play was called off at 5.20pm, with the Demons still having six of their 85 overs to bowl.
Taig, who had made second and first-ball ducks in his previous two innings, finished unbeaten on 159, while Hosking compiled 123 not out.
Kangaroo Flat’s score of 1-306 came after the Roos had averaged just 121 in their previous three games.
Taig’s unbeaten 159, taking his tally of runs for the season to 506, was his 20th century for the Roos.
The 33-year-old, who is understood to be considering his cricketing future beyond this season, faced 221 balls, hitting 20 boundaries and one six.
One of Taig’s 20 boundaries was a lofted drive over mid-off from White Hills’ skipper Gavin Bowles that brought up his century.
Hosking, who started his innings following the fall of Dundas, faced 254 balls for his 123, which was his fifth century for the Roos.
The keeper-batsman, who survived a confident caught behind shout off Downie on the second ball he faced, hit 16 boundaries during his innings, which lifted his runs for the season to 526.
With his 123, it means Hosking has made 294 runs against White Hills in his past two matches without having been dismissed, having made 171 not out when the two sides met in the final round last year.
Taig and Hosking’s 304-run partnership surpassed the previous long-standing Kangaroo Flat record of 270, held by Steve Newlan and Rod Whittle.
It was the second time this season both Taig and Hosking had made centuries in the same game.
In round five against Golden Square, Hosking made 142 not out and Taig 101 as they put on 231 for the second wicket.
Bendigo United has won the battle to secure fourth spot.
With the winner of the clash between Bendigo United and Eaglehawk at Harry Trott Oval to make the finals, the Redbacks prevailed by 65 runs to finish in the top four for the seventh straight season.
Set 292 to keep its season alive, Eaglehawk was bowled out for 226.
The Hawks looked out of the game at tea when they fell to 4-76 with more than half the overs bowled.
Matt White continued his recent fine form by top scoring with 58 off 79 balls.
But any hopes the Hawks had of chasing the target ended in the 68th over, when he skied a pull shot and was caught by Heath Behrens off the bowling of Marcus Smalley (1-50).
The next best of the Hawks’ batsmen was No.8 Glen Daly (30 off 43), who put on 50 for the seventh wicket with White.
With the loss, it’s only the fourth time since 1980 that Eaglehawk, which finished fifth, has missed the finals.
Leigh McDermott (5-62 off 27 overs) claimed his first five-wicket haul of the season for the Redbacks, while off-spinner Nick Crawford (2-48) ended the home and away season as the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 37.
Teenager Steven Van Riet (0-15 off 10) didn’t take a wicket, but he bowled a remarkable first spell of eight overs that went for just one run.
Strathfieldsaye warmed up for its first finals appearance in eight years with a thrilling victory over Bendigo at Atkins Street.
Chasing the Goers’ 243, it took the Jets until the second-last ball of the 84th over with a Tyson Findlay (12 n.o.) single through point to reach the target, before finishing at 6-252.
The backbone of the Jets’ innings was Stephen Brown, who made his second century of the season.
Brown made 110 off 255 balls, including 11 boundaries, before he was run out by a brilliant throw in the deep from Glenn Franzi on the last ball of the 83rd over, with the Jets still 10 runs from victory.
Brown’s run out came three balls after skipper Greg Lyon (57 off 91) was bowled by Brett Andrews.
Brown and Lyon had put on 113 for the fifth wicket after the Jets had been 4-117 in the 56th over.
Andrews bowled a marathon 37 overs straight, finishing with 3-97, while Tim Edwards took 2-91 off 29. With Andrews and Edwards bowling 66 overs between them, Saturday’s play was finished by 5pm.
Ryan Haythorpe’s performance for Strathdale-Maristians in the second XI against Sandhurst at Weeroona Oval will be remembered as one of the best in BDCA history.
A week after taking 9-42 off 15 overs, Haythorpe made an unbeaten 111 off 82 balls on Saturday in the Suns’ 112-run win.
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