WEST Bendigo has finally broken through for its first Emu Valley Cricket Association win in 714 days.
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The drought-breaking victory came against Spring Gully on Saturday as the Redbacks held on by 16 runs.
It was West Bendigo’s first win since beating United on February 21, 2015, with the Redbacks having endured 17 losses – five outright – and one draw between victories.
Defending 203, the Redbacks bowled Spring Gully – which had started the day 3-12 – out for 187, with the match-winning wicket taken by Andrew Mead when Brad McHugh caught Damien Venville (0).
As well as the catch to clinch victory, McHugh also played a key role with the ball for the Redbacks in taking 4-28 off 14 overs, while Gary Singh claimed 3-37 off 11.
McHugh and Singh were among six players on Saturday – along with Cameron Holding (0-39), Mead (1-18), Mitch Holt and captain Scott Ryan (1-37) – who had been part of the Redbacks’ previous victory 102 weeks earlier.
The Redbacks looked like they would be on the end of another loss when the Crows were well-placed at 6-186, but they lost 4-1, with Singh taking three of the final four wickets for West Bendigo.
• United opted for a day of batting practice, rather than pursuing an outright victory against Marong.
The Tigers already had the points in the bag after ending day one 2-157 in reply to the Panthers’ 92 at Ewing Park.
The Tigers added another 378 for the loss of four wickets to finish at 6-535 and win by 443 runs, with centuries to gun all-rounders Kieran Nihill and Sam Barnes.
Only Sedgwick’s 4-560 against West Bendigo earlier this season has been a higher EVCA division one score in the past decade.
Nihill backed up his day one 6-23 with the ball with 137 with the bat in one of the EVCA’s great all-round games that moves him to the top of the Addy’s MVP rankings.
Barnes finished unbeaten on 112, having also made 126 n.o. against Marong in their round seven one-day game.
The United run-feast also featured half-centuries to Xavier Walsh (73), captain Josh White (67) and James Smith (50).
David McHutchinson (2-60) was the only multiple wicket-taker of the 10 Panthers’ bowlers used.
• Maiden Gully faltered with the bat against Sedgwick, only getting halfway to the Rams’ tally of 188.
Led by Jordan Ilsely’s 4-35 and two wickets each to Scott McKenzie (2-13) and Andrew Sheehan (2-16), the Rams responded from back-to-back losses to bowl Maiden Gully out for 94.
The Gully were on the backfoot from the outset at 3-12, with only Shane Rabbitt (22) making more than 20.
• A Greg Thomas century helped top side Golden Gully to a commanding 139-run win over Emu Creek.
Chasing the Emus’ 221, the Cobras passed their target two wickets down on the way to a score of 360.
Thomas scored 129, for the fourth innings in a row Grant Le Poidevein (72) passed 50, while Jeremy Rogerson (50) also raised his bat.
Captain Simon Marwood (4-65) was the best of the Emu Creek bowlers.
