A look back at BDCA grand finalists Eaglehawk and Bendigo United's round three meeting this season.
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Bendigo United 8-251 def Eaglehawk 85 and 1-26, round three at Harry Trott Oval.
HEATH Behrens outscored Eaglehawk on his own as Bendigo United trounced the Hawks by 166 runs at Harry Trott Oval.
Behrens cracked his 27th first XI century for Bendigo United to help the Redbacks reach 8-251 at Harry Trott Oval on Saturday.
The veteran compiled 109, starting his innings in the sixth over with the score 1-14 after the Hawks claimed the big wicket of Bendigo United’s Ben Gunn, caught and bowled by Cam McGlashan (1-38).
It’s said that cricket is a great leveller – just ask both Behrens and Gunn.
After making 111 against Golden Square the previous week, Gunn was out for just two, while Behrens’ ton came after he had made a duck seven days earlier.
In what was his third ton against the Hawks, Behrens’ 109 came off 212 balls. He belted 12 boundaries and two sixes, with his innings including a 140-run partnership with Mark Di Fede for the third wicket.
With Di Fede making a supporting 42 off 161, the pair of left-handers took the score from 2-28 to 168.
Hawks’ all-rounder Aaron Monro claimed a five-wicket haul with 5-58 off 18 overs, which included the dismissals of both Behrens (caught Matt Ford) and Di Fede (caught Brodie Hawke).
On Sunday the Achilles Heel of the Hawks in recent seasons – their at-times brittle batting – reared its ugly head as they didn’t give a yelp in their run-chase.
Stunningly, the Hawks – who batted one short with Monro absent – lost 8-11 to collapse from 1-74 to all out for a paltry 85.
Redbacks’ skipper Leigh McDermott ripped through the Hawks to bag 5-17 off nine overs, while Nick Crawford (3-14) started the dramatic collapse when he had the Hawks’ top-scorer, Andrew Smith (43), caught by Jack Bouwmeester.
Only Smith, Anthony West (15) and Matt Ford (10) – in his first innings in the first XI since 2009-10 – made more than three for the disappointing Hawks, who were 1-26 in their second innings before stumps were pulled.