STRATHFIELDSAYE is headed to the Bendigo District Cricket Association finals for just the second time since 2001 after locking up its berth with a win over Sandhurst at the weekend.
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In what was a Saturday-Sunday match because of the unavailability next week of Bendigo Door Centre Weeroona Oval, the Jets shut the door to the top four with the convincing win over the Dragons.
The Jets set the victory up with a dominant display with the ball when they knocked over a young Dragons side featuring eight teenagers for just 98 on Saturday.
Young gun Xavier Crone (3-6) and Cory Devanny (3-34) claimed three wickets each for the Jets, who took just 43.3 overs to dismiss the Dragons.
As well as Devanny’s three wickets, he also took three catches, including the key dismissal of Sandhurst captain Craig Howard (5) off Crone.
Having been 2-12, Lucas Hutchinson (27) and Ned Slater (24) put on 50 for the third wicket to take the score to 62.
But the dismissal of Hutchinson sparked a Dragons’ collapse of 8-36.
The Jets answered with 6-195 declared.
Luke Jones (64) and Bodee Scullie (57) against his former side made a pair of half-centuries, while Isaac Hogan’s 41 was his best score of the season.
Hogan and Jones put on 65 for the second wicket following the early departure of Greg Lyon (4).
Hutchinson (2-20) and Howard (2-29) claimed two wickets apiece for the Dragons, who will finish on the bottom of the ladder for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
The Dragons produced an improved second innings batting performance, highlighted by an entertaining century to Hutchinson.
Hutchinson scored 100 in the Dragons’ second innings total of 217.
Hutchinson’s ton was the first by a Sandhurst player this season.
He faced 126 balls and struck eight boundaries and four sixes.
Ben Devanny picked up 4-40 off 15 overs, while Cory Devanny (3-48) followed up his first innings effort with another three wickets.
• White Hills embarrassed Huntly-North Epsom at Glen Loddon Homes Oval, routing the Power for a paltry 31.
After winning the toss, the Demons made the most of the bowler-friendly conditions as teenager William Schofield (5-11 off eight) and captain Rhys Irwin (4-16 off 12.2) ran amuck.
As well as the superb bowling, the Demons were also razor sharp in the field with their catching, which was epitomised by Adrian Holland’s one-handed screamer in slips to dismiss Adam Ward (1).
Schofield’s 5-11 was the first five-wicket haul of his first XI career, with his victims Michael Hanson (9), Ward, Dylan Gibson (0), Anthony Tanner (4) and Luke Price (3).
Only Hanson and Tom Wilson (6) made more than five for the Power, who lost wickets with the score on 2, 10, 10, 12, 12, 17, 20, 23, 30 and 31.
Since 2000, only Kangaroo Flat’s 29 against Golden Square in 2012-13 and Bendigo’s 30 against Kangaroo Flat in 2007-08 have been lower scores than the Power’s 31.
The Power’s 31 came two weeks after they plundered the BDCA’s highest score of the season - 352 - against Sandhurst.
Apart from Harry Whittle (0), who was bowled by Irwin, the other nine Power wickets were caught.
“The wicket was fairly green, it was overcast and humid as well, so they were good bowling conditions,” Power captain Josh Collinson said.
“The ball was doing a fair bit, but some of our shot selection wasn’t the best... we had six or seven caught behind the wicket.
“To White Hills’ credit they caught really well, but we needed to be better and it showed that our batting depth isn’t there.”
Having taken just 24.2 overs to skittle the Power, White Hills went to stumps at 9-173.
Playing against his former side, Demons opener Ryan Grundy (46) made his highest score of the season, while Brayden Stepien (43) and Mitch Winter-Irving (31) were the other leading contributors for the Demons.
Openers Grundy and Jayden Sheean (4) safely guided the Demons to victory with a 40-run stand for the first wicket.
Adam Ward (3-39) and Dylan Gibson (3-28) both have three wickets for the Power, who barring the last pair of Sam Stagg (10 n.o.) and Jack Bourke (3 n.o.) on debut batting all day, will get a chance to redeem themselves next week.
• Bendigo United was bowled out for its lowest score in 14 seasons by Eaglehawk at Harry Trott Oval.
The Redbacks were all out for 119 in an innings where they batted into the 73rd over.
The Redbacks’ 119 - which came at a run-rate of 1.63 - was the lowest score they had been bowled out for since Kangaroo Flat tore through them for 51 in round seven of the 2000-01 season.
It was an even bowling performance from Eaglehawk, with four Hawks taking multiple wickets - Shaun Knott (3-33 off 20.1); Richard Tibbett (2-35 off 19); Cameron McGlashan (2-13 off 11) and Cory Jacobs (2-16 off 15).
The Hawks bowled 33 maidens among their 72.1 overs.
The first wicket to fall for Bendigo United was Wayne Fidler, who faced 63 balls in making one.
The only player to make more than 20 for the Redbacks was Heath Behrens (21), who put on 42 for the third wicket with Ben Gunn (19) in the best partnership of the innings.
The Hawks had nine overs to bat before stumps and had almost negotiated the 36-minute period safely until Matt Fitt (9) was caught by Leigh McDermott off Nick Crawford (1-3) off the last ball of the day.
The Hawks will resume at 1-14 next Saturday.
• Strathdale-Maristians recovered from a precarious 5-64 to post 7-233 against Kangaroo Flat at All Seasons Oval.
The Suns’ revival was led by Sam Johnston (70 n.o. off 77, five fours, three sixes), Jono Davidson (49 off 123) and Ben DeAraugo (46 off 74).
DeAraugo and Davidson halted the Roos’ momentum with a 58-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Davidson then teamed with Johnston for a 105-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Tim Robertson bagged 3-44 off 22 overs for the Roos, with all his wickets key scalps - Andrew Hosking (17), Cameron Taylor (15) and Nick Baker (15).
Kangaroo Flat captain Adam Burns took his tally of wickets for the season to 41 with his 2-50.
Kangaroo Flat had gone into the final round still with a chance of playing finals on the back of three wins in a row, but those hopes have been quashed following Strathfieldsaye’s win over Sandhurst.
• Half-centuries from Nathan Fitzpatrick and captain Marcus McKern helped Bendigo to a total of 252 against Golden Square at MyJet Oval.
After coming in with the score 3-60, Fitzpatrick finished unbeaten on 76, striking seven fours and two sixes in his innings.
McKern’s 57 included 40 runs coming in fours and sixes.
McKern cracked seven fours and two sixes in what was his first half-century of the season.
Fitzpatrick and McKern put on 72 for the fourth wicket that pushed the score from 60 to 132.
Fitzpatrick later put on a valuable 53 for eighth wicket with James Ryan (20).
In his 250th game for the Goers, veteran Mark Ryan made 14.
Nine players bowled for Golden Square, with the ninth used - Hamish Schumacher - returning the best figures.
Schumacher (3-15) picked up the last three wickets of the innings.