SANDHURST 9-353 d BENDIGO UNITED 278

Sandhurst has beaten Bendigo United for the first time in 14 seasons in the Bendigo District Cricket Association, despite a century from the Redbacks’ Leigh McDermott on Saturday.

Chasing the Dragons’ imposing 9-353 at Bendigo Door Centre Weeroona Oval, the Redbacks were dismissed for 278 – a score they had looked no chance of getting when they slumped to 9-108.

However, McDermott combined with teenager Jack Bouwmeester for one of the highest last wicket partnerships in BDCA history when they put on 170.

McDermott finished unbeaten on 161 – his highest score for the Redbacks – while in his just his third first XI innings, Bouwmester made 46 off 106 (four fours, two sixes).

McDermott cracked 22 fours and five sixes in his 186-ball innings, scoring 161 of the Redbacks’ 227 runs while he was at the crease.

While McDermott and Bouwmeester kept the runs ticking over, it was always only delaying the inevitable after the Dragons earlier decimated Bendigo United with the ball.

The damage began on the opening ball of the day when Wayne Fidler (0) was bowled by Quinton Bentley (1-42).

And from there wickets regularly tumbled until Bouwmeester joined McDermott.

In Sandhurst’s first win since round two, last season, leg-spinner Liam Bowe finished with 3-54 to be the Dragons’ leading wicket-taker, while Ned Slater (2-70) picked up two key scalps in Mark Di Fede (17) and Heath Behrens (15) within five runs of each other that left the Redbacks 4-56, which soon became 5-61 when Riley Treloar slipped and was run out for a duck.

EAGLEHAWK 297 d BENDIGO 152

Bendigo proved no match for Eaglehawk, falling 145 runs short of their target at Canterbury Park.

Chasing the Hawks’ 297, the Goers were knocked over for 152 in an innings where they had just one partnership above 30.

It was an even bowling performance from the Hawks, whose six bowlers used all took at least one wicket.

Opening bowlers Richard Tibbett (2-28 off 18) and Shaun Knott (2-28 off 19) combined for 4-56 off their 37 overs, while Cory Jacobs (2-36 off 15) and spinner Brodie Hawke (2-39 off 8.1) also picked up two each.

For the second game in a row to start the season, Nathan Fitzpatrick top scored for the Goers with 45 off 88 (five fours).

Fitzpatrick and Marcus McKern (27 off 55) shared in the best partnership of the innings, putting on 49 for the fourth wicket after the Goers had been 3-37.

The pair were the only Goers’ batsmen to make more than 15 against a Hawks’ bowling line-up that offered little respite all day.

WHITE HILLS 9-232 d GOLDEN SQUARE 8-226

White Hills beat Golden Square for just the second time in the past decade, holding on in a thriller at MyJet Oval.

The Demons’ score of 9-232 proved just out of reach of Golden Square, which was restricted to 8-226 in reply.

White Hills appeared well on the path to victory when it had all the momentum, picking up 3-11 mid-innings to leave Square on the ropes at 7-138.

However, Scott Woodman and Jamie Bysouth worked Square back into the contest, but the pressure was constantly on, with the run-rate required above one a ball for much of the last 10 overs.

In such a tight game, it’s all the little things that add up – like Golden Square last week bowling six more no-balls than White Hills.

Bysouth finished unbeaten on 38 off 65, while Woodman overcame a hamstring problem from the week before to compile 42 off 71.

Earlier, Square’s Hamish Schumacher accumulated his highest first XI score in making 90 off 201 (eight fours), with the score on 138 when he was caught and bowled by Demons’ captain Mitch Winter-Irving to be the seventh wicket to fall.

Winter-Irving (2-33 off 12) and Sam Farmer (2-41 off 13) claimed two wickets each.

STRATHFIELDSAYE 5-233 d HUNTLY-NORTH EPSOM 95 & 2-24

After a career-best 72 n.o. with the bat last week, Strathfieldsaye’s Andrew Stove backed it up with his best bowling figures as the Jets routed Huntly-North Epsom at Poyser Motors Oval.

The spin of Stove ripped through the Power as he snared 6-15 off 9.1 overs to help demolish Huntly-North Epsom for 95 in reply to the Jets’ 5-233.

Stove took six of the last seven Power wickets to fall.

Huntly-North Epsom had one stage been 4-76, before its last six wickets fell for just 19 runs, with skipper Michael Hanson (26) top-scoring.

The Jets – who have bowled out their opposition for less than 100 in their first two games - sent the Power in for a second innings, with Huntly-North Epsom finishing at 2-24 off 27 overs.

Stove picked up 1-11 off 10 overs in the second innings to finish the match with figures of 7-26 off 19.1 overs.

STRATHDALE-MARISTIANS 8-255 d KANGAROO FLAT 157

Strathdale-Maristians cruised to victory over Kangaroo Flat at N8 Health Oval, answering the Roos’ 157 with 8-255.

There was some concern early for the Suns when they fell to 3-40, but Cameron Taylor’s 95 off 188 – his second score above 50 to start the season – steered Strathdale-Maristians to its ninth win in a row against the Roos.

Taylor, who hit three boundaries, put on 71 for the fourth wicket with Ben DeAraugo (31) to swing the momentum back the Suns’ way.

For the Roos, young leg-spinner Chris Barber took 4-96 off 22 overs, while captain Adam Burns (1-23 off 16) and Cameron Salmon (0-13 off 16) were both economical.