The Suns already had first innings points secured last week when they closed day one at 7-177 in reply to Bendigo’s 76 at Atkins Street.

The Suns immediately declared on Saturday with their lead of 101, before a bold declaration from Goers captain Shane Koop later in the day set up what would prove to be a thrilling finish.

Koop called an end to the Goers’ second innings after 64 overs with his side 6-226 – featuring half-centuries to Mark Ryan (54 n.o.) and Kyle Humphrys (53) – leaving the Suns requiring 126 off 18 overs for maximum points.

“It’s important we play as much cricket as possible… I spoke to the boys that we as Bendigo exist to play cricket and we’re going to play every single ball, make a game of it and see how far we can go,” Koop said.

“The declaration was more about the growth of us as a team and having an eye to the future and the bigger picture.

“Rather than just blocking and calling the game off early, why not put ourselves in a challenging environment and see how we hold up.”

The final over of the match to be bowled by Goers’ off-spinner Humphrys had started with the Suns needing six runs to win.

Captain Ben DeAraugo (10 n.o.) worked the first ball for a single, before Baker (10 n.o.) finished in style the next delivery with a six over long-off as the Suns reached 5-127.

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“At the end of the day, even though we’ve been outrighted, we’ve been outrighted with dignity and we’ve ended up with just as many points as we would have had we just blocked the day out,” Koop said.

The Suns’ victory was the first outright of the season and the first time they’ve gained maximum points since 2012-13 – which had also been against the Goers.

Mitch Blackman had been part of the Goers team that lost outright to the Suns at Atkins Street in 2012-13.

This time though the Suns’ recruit was on the victorious outright team as the Suns also became the new holders of the Symes Motors BMW Challenge Cup.

“We’re very happy with the result because outrights are obviously very hard to get,” DeAraugo said.

“It was evident in the way Bendigo upped the ante late in their innings they were trying to make a game on it, which was great.

“It was an aggressive and bold move by them and they put a bit of pressure back on us, but our boys responded and we batted well to get the runs.”

The top-scorer in the Suns’ second innings was again the entertaining Jack Neylon, whose 36 off 20 featured 34 in either fours (four) or sixes (three). 

Humphrys followed his first innings 6-55 with 3-64 in the second to end the match with a combined 9-119 off 22.2 overs.

“To be honest, we weren’t focussed on the possibility that Strathdale could get 10 points with the declaration. It was all about looking at how we could make it more of a learning environment and a step forward in our growth,” Koop said.

“The fact they have walked away with 10 points is irrelevant to us.”

The outright loss came on the back of the Goers having gone into the game undefeated.

• Sandhurst fell agonisingly short in its bid for outright points against Strathfieldsaye at Weeroona Oval.

With the Jets batting one short due to the absence of Michael Curtis, Strathfieldsaye’s last pair of youngster Callum McCarty and Josh Di Camillo held off the Dragons to avoid an outright loss.

The Jets were sent back in for a second innings after they were routed for just 86 in their first in reply to Sandhurst’s 9-323 at Weeroona Oval.

In what was an ugly looking scorecard, only opener Greg Lyon scored in double figures for the Jets, who were all out in the 46^th over 237 runs short.

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Lyon made 52 off 100 balls, with the Jets’ next best score Jed Rodda’s eight.

Captain Craig Howard led the carnage for the Dragons with 4-14 off 11.4 overs, but better was to come from the veteran in the second innings.

The Jets looked on track to safely avoid the outright defeat when they had worked their way to 2-106 in their second innings, before Howard weaved his magic.

Having switched from off-spin to leg-spin in the second innings, Howard sparked another Jets’ collaspe as Strathfieldsaye dramatically lost 6-3, crashing to 8-109 as Di Camillo joined McCarty at the crease with seven overs to survive, which they did to frustrate the Dragons.

McCarty did what was required in facing 34 balls for 0 n.o., while Di Camillo finished 4 n.o. in an innings that had earlier featured a 48-ball knock of 52 from Pat Felmingham with five fours and four sixes.

However, Felmingham’s dismissal sparked the flurry of six wickets to fall as he was the second of Howard’s seven victims.

Howard spun his way to 7-26 off 15 overs to give him a match haul of 11-40 off 26.4 and propel the Dragons to top spot on the ladder.

The victory improved the Dragons to 4-1, while the Jets have now lost four in a row – the past two in which the opposition has had a crack at an outright against them.

• Reigning premier Eaglehawk produced another strong performance with the bat to chase down Kangaroo Flat’s 9-271 at the QEO.

The Hawks answered with 5-308 in an innings where Anthony West became the latest addition to the BDCA’s “99 club”.

Opener West fell one short of a century when he drove at a Brent Hamblin delivery, but nicked it and was caught by Roos’ wicket-keeper Nathan Stubbings.

West’s dismissal was the BDCA’s 11^th 99 since 2000.

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West and skipper Cory Jacobs (25) got the Hawks off to another solid start with a 69-run partnership for the first wicket.

The pair have opened the batting three times this season and produced stands of 69, 77 and 66.

As well as West’s 99, the Hawks also had Aaron Monro (66 n.o.) make a half-century, with he and Matt Fitt (38 n.o.) guiding Eaglehawk over the line with an unbroken partnership of 99.

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Hamblin (2-59 off 16) was the only multiple wicket-taker for the Roos. As well as West, he also dismissed previous round double century-maker Jeremy Brown, who he bowled for 30.

Both the Hawks and Roos are now among a cluster of four teams with 2-3 records.

• Huntly-North Epsom’s Cameron Moore and Brett Elvey led the demise of White Hills with nine wickets between them.

Chasing the Power’s 9-258, the Demons got off to a flying start with a 94-run opening partnership between Linc Jacobs and Ryan Grundy (35).

Yet from 0-94, the Demons lost 10-65 to be all out for 159 in a 99-run loss.

Moore (5-44 off 12.3) and Elvey (4-61 off 22) were both superb for the Power with a combined 9-105.

Jacobs top-scored for the Demons with 55, which came on the back of a tough start to the season with the bat for the left-hander, who had made just six runs in his first four innings.

• Golden Square’s Scott Johnson celebrated his 300^th first XI game with an 87-run win over Bendigo United at Harry Trott Oval.

The Redbacks were all out for 169 chasing Square’s 9-256.

Wicket-keeper Johnson claimed two stumpings to go with his unbeaten 48 last week in his milestone match.

Opening bowler Saheed Akolade continues to get better each game and was the chief wicket-taker for Golden Square with 4-61.

The Redbacks lost their last four wickets for 11 runs to be all out in the 68^th over.

Adrian Cronin in his debut first XI innings was Bendigo United’s top-scorer with 44, with he and Jake Thrum (31) putting on 70 for the seventh wicket.