BENDIGO NEW BDCA PREMIERS

Monday, March 28, 1994

THE Bendigo Cricket Club won its first Bendigo District Cricket Association premiership in more than two decades yesterday, defeating Eaglehawk by just two runs in a cliffhanger.

The club last won the pennant in 1977 and fought hard to grab victory in a match which came down to the final over at the Queen Elizabeth Oval.

The match was highlighted by some classic catches, brilliant fielding and batting displays and it eventually, and appropriately, fell to skipper and leg-spinner Tim Alexander to defend Bendigo's 280 runs.

When he started the final over, the Borough needed just seven runs for victory.

With five runs made off the first few balls, Eaglehawk's Darren Rodda faced Alexander.

Rodda moved well down the wicket to meet the delivery, missed and was stumped by keeper David Bakes, leaving the Borough two runs short and giving Bendigo the premiership.

Alexander ended with the bowling figures of 3-104 off 44 overs, and along with Darren Taylor (2-55 off 22 overs) and Mark Ryan (3-50 off 14 overs), did the damage for Bendigo.

Eaglehawk was lifted by a brilliant century from Geoff Findlay and Borough bowler Andrew Price finished the match with the impressive figures of 7-88.

Bendigo won the toss on Saturday and batted on a placid QEO wicket in the first day's play.

Rohan Sadler and David Bakes started the innings well with a 58-run opening partnership before Sadler was caught out on a hook shot.

Darren Trickey joined Bakes and the pair slowly took the score along before Trickey was run-out.

Shortly after, Bakes was brilliantly caught at slip by Robert Herbert with the score at 3-137.

Tony Ryan and Trevor Hamilton teamed up for a 90-run partnership and frustrated the Borough bowlers.

Ryan was eventually well caught by Kurt Brereton for a well-made 51 off 136 balls in 134 minutes.

Hamilton was dropped twice on the way to his top score of 62, made off 99 balls in 109 minutes.

With the score at 5-244, Bendigo looked for set for a score well in excess of 300.

Andrew Price had other ideas and a brilliant bowling spell from him saw the Borough bowl Bendigo all out for 280.

Price's bowling spell netted him 7-88 off 26 overs and four balls.

All the Borough bowlers bowled a good, tight line.

The Borough started off with Andrew Price and Geoff Findlay making their way to the crease.

The pair had an ominous start with Price being dismissed, bowled by Darren Taylor with the score on 13.

Eaglehawk skipper Wayne Walsh joined Findlay for a 50-run partnership.

That ended when Mark Ryan bowled Walsh for 23.

Robert Herbert joined Findlay and they slowly moved the score along, but used up valuable overs in their 88-run partnership.

Denis Bice was well caught behind by David Bakes and this was a big blow for the Borough as he is a free-scoring batsman.

Veteran Garry Tupper joined Findlay, who was starting to feel the effect of the warm conditions.

Tupper immediately found the gaps and the partnership with Findlay yielded 67 runs to take the Borough to 5-218.

Graham Hartland moved the score along before a brilliant catch in the outfield by Tony Ryan ended his brief innings.

Findlay scored his century courtesy of four overthrows, but was soon back in the pavilion for a brilliant 109.

The Borough still only needed 10 runs with three wickets in hand when Brereton hit a long ball into the outfield, which was run down by Daniel Schmidt, whose long throw hit the stumps on the full and dismissed Tim Rodda.

Lincoln McRae was run out taking a cheeky single, which brought last man Darren Rodda to the crease.

Brereton was on strike and Bendigo skipper Tim Alexander was to bowl the last over with seven runs needed for victory.

Two runs to Brereton, then another two, then a single to Brereton brought Darren Rodda on strike.

First ball from Alexander and Rodda made a wild swipe and was well stumped by keeper David Bakes with the Borough still two runs short.

1993-94 grand final

BENDIGO v EAGLEHAWK

at Queen Elizabeth Oval

Bendigo won toss and batted

Bendigo innings

R. Sadler c L. McRae b A. Price 34

D. Bakes c R. Herbert b T. Rodda 57

D. Trickey run out 17

T. Ryan c K. Brereton b A. Price 51

T. Hamilton b A. Price 62

D. Rennie c L. McRae b A. Price 15

B. Slattery lbw A. Price 0

M. Ryan run out 5

T. Alexander c D. Rodda b A. Price 5

D. Taylor not out 10

D. Schmidt c L. McRae b A. Price 2

Extras 21

Total 280

Fall: 58 (R. Sadler), 100 (D. Trickey), 137 (D. Bakes), 227 (T. Ryan), 246 (T. Hamilton), 248 (B. Slattery), 263 (D. Rennie), 263 (M. Ryan), 268 (T. Alexander), 280 (D. Schmidt).

Bowling: A. Price 26.4-5-7-88, T. Rodda 16-0-1-50, R. Herbert 20-3-0-51, D. Rodda 27-5-0-64, D. Bice 5-1-0-16.

Eaglehawk innings

G. Findlay b M. Ryan 109

A. Price c D. Bakes b D. Taylor 10

W. Walsh b M. Ryan 23

R. Herbert c D. Rennie b D. Taylor 42

D. Bice c D. Bakes b T. Alexander 0

G. Tupper b M. Ryan 38

G. Hartland c T. Ryan b T. Alexander 14

K. Brereton not out 23

T. Rodda run out 0

L. McRae run out 5

D. Rodda stpd D. Bakes b T. Alexander 0 

Extras 14

Total 278

Fall: 13 (A. Price), 63 (W. Walsh), 151 (R. Herbert), 151 (D. Bice), 218 (G. Tupper), 250 (G. Findlay), 258 (G. Hartland), 260 (T. Rodda), 273 (L. McRae), 278 (D. Rodda).

Bowling: D. Taylor 22-5-2-55, D. Schmidt 20-4-0-55, T. Alexander 44-9-3-104, M. Ryan 14-3-3-50.

Bendigo won by 2 runs.