Half-centuries from White Hills’ duo Gavin Bowles and Brayden Stepien set up Bendigo’s total of 6-206 before Kangaroo Flat star Adam Burns and Golden Spinner Liam Smith ripped the heart out of the Murray Valley batting line-up.

“It was a good start for us,’’ Bendigo coach Matt Pinniger said.

“We did a pretty good job with the bat and then our bowling and fielding was very good.

“That bowling and fielding is the standard we have to meet for the rest of the week.”

The fielding was a highlight, with Adrian Pappin snaring a brilliant diving catch in the slips and Smith clung on to a tough chance at mid-off.

Those catches helped put Murray Valley on the back foot.

“On a difficult wicket it was always going to be hard for Murray Valley once we had them 3-40,’’ Pinniger said.

“Linton Jacobs completed a really smart leg-side stumping as well which was pleasing.”

 After winning the toss and batting, Bendigo looked set for a big total when openers Brayden Stepien and Ben Gunn slayed the MV attack to all parts of Windy Hill.

They smashed 47 off the first five overs and 85 off the opening 15 overs to put Bendigo on track for a 250-plus total.

However, Stepien's departure for 55 off 58 balls changed the momentum of the game.

From 0-92 in the 18th over, Bendigo lost 3-5, with Stepien, Gunn (40 off 48 balls) and Adam Ward (second ball duck) falling in quick succession.

All three fell to MV spinner Eddie Walmsley.

Cam Taylor and Gavin Bowles set about rebuilding Bendigo's innings.

The left-handers were tied down by the MV spinners.

Taylor scored just eight runs off his first 50 balls before eventually falling for 24 off 76 balls.

Taylor and Bowles added 62 for the fourth wicket.

Bowles batted through the innings, making an unbeaten 63 off 89 balls.

Pinniger was concerned Bendigo’s total was 30 runs short, but he need not of worried.

Burns (3-24 off 10) took the first three wickets of the innings and Smith (2-18 off 10) tied down one end superbly as MV crumbled to 6-66.

Cam Taylor (2-28 off eight) chipped in with a couple of late wickets as MV was dismissed for 150 in the second-last over.

Bendigo batted for one over in its second innings, finishing 2-6 with Pappin bowled for 0 and Gunn run out for two. Stepien was not out four.

Ladder after day one: Mornington 16.74, Sale-Maffra 16.60, Bendigo 16.12, Traralgon 16.05, Bairnsdale 4.17, Geelong 3.64, Murray valley 3.10, South West 2.85.

Tuesday's draw - Bendigo v Traralgon at Werribee, South West v Geelong at Princes Park, Sale-Maffra v Mornington at Casey Fields, Murray Valley v Bairnsdale at Monash University.