STRATHDALE-MARISTIANS’ leg-spinner Cameron Taylor had 41 opportunities on Saturday to achieve what had only been done twice before in the history of the Bendigo District Cricket Association.
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Take all 10 wickets in a first XI innings.
Taylor bagged the first nine wickets of Strathfieldsaye’s innings at Flight Centre Park as history beckoned, with the dismissal of either of the last pair of Bodee Scullie or No.11 Michael Curtis to put him in the company of only Bendigo United’s Harold Hall and Eaglehawk’s Joe Finch.
According to BDCA historian Darren Rodda, Hall’s 10-33 against Austral in 1907-08 and Finch’s 10-79 against Bendigo United in a 1926-27 semi-final are the only 10-wicket hauls in an innings in BDCA first XI history.
However, despite bowling a further 41 balls after taking his ninth scalp, the last wicket eluded Taylor as Ben DeAraugo cost him a place in BDCA folklore.
DeAraugo (1-18) claimed the last wicket when Curtis edged a cut-shot and was caught by Andrew Hosking at slip to end the Jets’ innings on 183.
Taylor had to settle for figures of 9-66 off 30 overs, which rank No.18 on the all-time list of the BDCA’s best bowling figures.
Taylor’s 9-66 – a new Suns’ club record surpassing Percy Worsnop’s 8-12 in 1956-57 – featured five caught (three by Hosking), three lbw and one stumped.
His fifth dismissal – Ben Devanny (28) – also doubled as his 200th first XI wicket for the Suns.
Taylor didn’t take his first dismissal until his eighth over, but once he had Greg Lyon caught by Hosking, the wickets flowed until he was stalled late by Scullie and Curtis.
Before Taylor wreaked havoc, Jets’ openers Lyon (42) and Zoltan Smythe (36) again got Strathfieldsaye away to a solid start with an 80-run opening stand that lasted into the 22nd over.
However, following the 80-run partnership the Jets then lost 9-70, before Scullie (44 n.o.) and Curtis (5) added 33 for the last wicket.
The Suns went to stumps at 2-27.
• Sandhurst battled its way to 132 against White Hills at Glen Loddon Homes Oval following a flurry of early wickets.
After just 43 balls the Dragons were reeling at 3-8, with the batsmen out Manning Walsh (1), Brett Tory (3) and Zen Malik (2), who were all bowled.
Englishman Jack Rodgers (3-32) picked up two of the early wickets and coach Rhys Irwin (1-29) one as the Demons were quick to take the ascendancy.
The Dragons’ innings later ended with another cluster of wickets as their last four fell for just five runs.
Craig Howard battled valiantly to produce a captain’s knock for the Dragons.
He came in with his side 2-4 and spent 206 minutes at the crease before he was the eighth wicket to fall for a fighting 67 off 187.
Howard was the only player to hit a boundary for the Dragons, striking five to the fence, as well as a six.
The Demons – who had all six bowlers used take a wicket – ended the day 2-39.
• Bendigo lost its last seven wickets for just 24 runs to be all out for 140 against ladder-leader Kangaroo Flat at Axis Employment Oval.
From 4-116 in the 65th over, the Goers were all out just 11 overs later.
Leg-spinner Chris Barber was superb for the Roos, taking the first five wickets to fall on his way to a haul of 5-77 off 30 overs in a return to last-season’s top form.
The first of Barber’s dismissals was Goers’ captain Shane Koop (9), who after playing a sweep shot hit the stumps with his foot and was given out hit-wicket.
In the past two weeks the Goers have now had a pair of the rarer cricket dismissals go against them – hit-wicket and obstructing the field.
Dylan Klemm later helped finish the Goers off with 3-6 off seven overs, while veteran Adam Burns gave little away in an economical 0-13 off 16 overs. Of the 96 balls Burns bowled, the Goers scored off just 10.
Opener Kyle Chant top-scored with 53 for the Goers, who had the Roos a shaky 2-12 at stumps.
• Eaglehawk paceman Richard Tibbett ensured Golden Square’s batting struggles continued at Canterbury Park.
A five-wicket Tibbett haul was the catalyst for Golden Square being bowled out for 131 in the 61st over.
Tibbett bagged 5-51 off 20 overs and was well supported by Aaron Monro (2-19) and Shane Murdoch (2-32), while skipper Cory Jacobs returned the tidy figures of 1-10 off 12 overs.
Square had been 1-59, before its last nine wickets tumbled for 72 runs, with the side now having been bowled out for scores of 131, 42 and 142 in its three innings back from the mid-season break.
In what was an innings where seven players were dismissed for three or less, captain Tim Wood (36) and John Lalor (33) were the best of the Square batsmen.
The Hawks still have some work to do next Saturday to overhaul their target after they ended day one 3-48.
• The only team to bat its full 85 overs out was Bendigo United, which posted 8-252 against Huntly-North Epsom at Sunline Plastering Oval.
Without the star duo of Heath Behrens and Ben Gunn, the foundation was laid with a 130-run opening stand between Clayton Holmes and Mark Di Fede.
Holmes cracked 86, while Di Fede made 47 before he was dismissed in the 40s for the fourth time this season.
In his 200th game for the club, veteran Nick Crawford had an impact with the bat, turning back the clock with a crafty 50 n.o. at No.6 that included a rare six.
Cameron Moore (4-76) toiled hard for the Power and was rewarded with four wickets, including both Holmes and Di Fede.