HUNTLY-North Epsom has inflicted Sandhurst’s first loss of the season in the Bendigo District Cricket Association.
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The Dragons’ decision to bowl first after winning the toss last week backfired as the Power’s score of 222 proved well out of their reach at Bendigo Door Centre Weeroona Oval on Saturday.
The Power bowlers never let up on the Dragons, who fell 75 runs short as they were bowled out for 147 in the 74th over.
With the result it means all teams have now suffered a loss after six rounds of what’s shaping as an even season where all sides – apart from Strathfieldsaye – have at least two wins.
The star with the ball for the Power – who just over a year ago in their last meeting were beaten outright by the Dragons – was opening bowler Cameron Moore.
Moore snared five wickets and also dried the runs up as he finished with 5-33 off 21 overs, which included 12 maidens.
Two of Moore’s wickets were caught and bowled – Manning Walsh (9) and Shane Robinson (23).
His brother, Peter Moore, also kept the screws on the Dragons with 1-32 off 18 overs, which included his first 32 balls all dots.
And the consistent Brett Elvey was again his usual economical self in taking 1-27 off 17 overs.
Between the Moore brothers and Elvey, they combined for 7-92 off 56 overs.
The previous round against Strathdale-Maristians the trio conceded just 91 runs off 64 overs.
The only time the Dragons were able to halt the flow of wickets was when captain Craig Howard (30) and Robinson added 45 for the fourth wicket after Sandhurst had been 4-43 in the 22nd over.
The Dragons didn’t have any player capitalise on a start, with six players dismissed between 18 and 30.
• White Hills captain Mitch Winter-Irving has produced a superb double, backing up his day one century with five wickets against Bendigo.
Chasing the Demons’ 285, the Goers lost their third game in a row as they were bowled out for 220 at Axis Employment Oval as Winter-Irving again made his mark on the contest.
Winter-Irving claimed 5-59 off 21 overs, having last week made 112 after coming to the crease with his side on the ropes at 3-41.
As well as his century and five-for, Winter-Irving also took two catches, giving him 232 points for the game in the Addy’s MVP rankings.
The Goers made a positive start to their challenging run-chase with captain Shane Koop and Kyle Chant putting on 81 for the first wicket.
The partnership ended in the 30th over when the Demons had a slice of luck as Koop (31) was adjudged caught behind down the leg side in what was the first of Winter-Irving’s five scalps.
Chant (50) went on to make a half-century after riding his luck when twice dropped by Linc Jacobs and David Blume, before he was bowled by Winter-Irving to leave the Goers 2-92.
The Goers later worked their way to 6-208, but their last four wickets fell for just 12 runs as they were dismissed in the 79th over.
As well as the contributions from Chant and Koop, the Goers also had Tom Hart make 40 and veteran Mark Ryan score 36 as they added 49 for the sixth wicket.
While Winter-Irving was the main destroyer with the ball for the Demons, they also had Jacobs chip in with 3-45 off 16 overs.
The Goers and Demons both now have 2-3-1 records.
• Eaglehawk’s batting line-up showed just what it’s capable of when it fires as it cruised past Kangaroo Flat’s 8-220 at Canterbury Park.
Having made no more than 143 in their previous three first innings, the Hawks passed their target five wickets down on the way to finishing at 8-281.
Josh Collinson (72) and opener Andrew Smith (64) both made half-centuries for the Hawks.
Coming in at 2-117, Collinson’s 72 was the highest score made by a Hawk this season and was a timely return to form after he had made just 35 runs in his first four hits of the season.
Collinson hit six fours and two sixes in his 90-ball innings, while Smith’s 64 featured five boundaries and two sixes.
Knocks from Shane Murdoch (36) and Matt Fitt (42) also helped the Hawks to victory.
Roos’ leg-spinner Chris Barber took the first three wickets to fall on the way to figures of 3-68 off 18 overs, while Dylan Klemm (2-37) and first-gamer Ryan O’Keefe (2-11) picked up two each.
O’Keefe’s first wicket in the first XI came when he had Hawks’ captain Cory Jacobs (15) caught by Daniel Barber.
Saturday’s result – which keeps Eaglehawk undefeated against Kangaroo Flat since 2010-11 – leaves both sides with 3-2-1 records.
• Reigning premier Strathdale-Maristians has strung together two wins on the trot after defeating Golden Square by 98 runs at All Seasons Oval.
The Suns successfully defended their 7-292, bowling Square out for 194.
Square lost its way between the 17th and 25th overs when it fell from 1-37 to 5-54, with Adrian Pappin taking three of the four wickets to fall when he dismissed Jason Johnson (18), Tim Wood (10) and Jamie Bysouth (0).
Pappin finished with the Suns’ best bowling figures of 3-21 off nine overs, and also took two catches.
Jacob DeAraugo (2-26), Sam Johnston (2-42) and Cam Taylor (2-49) each took two wickets.
Scott Trollope’s fine all-round season for Square continued as he cracked their top score of 60 in an innings featuring eight boundaries and one six.
Trollope and Liam Smith (17) shared in the best partnership, putting on 72 for the eighth wicket after Square had been 7-122.
Square also had veteran Grant Connelly (31) and teenager Zane Keighran (32) – who was dismissed in the first over after tea – add 61 for the sixth wicket.
Square’s last three wickets all fell on 194, with the side bowled out in the 67th over.
• Strathfieldsaye was unable to capitalise on a solid start in its pursuit of Bendigo United’s 9-234 at Harry Trott Oval.
The Jets had been 1-77 in the 25th over, but they faltered, losing 4-4 to crash to 5-81 and by the 68th over were all out for 133 to lose by 101 runs.
Veteran off-spinner Nick Crawford was at his wily best for the Redbacks in taking 3-16 off 19 overs, which included 12 maidens.
Fellow spinner Jake Thrum’s 2-29 off 20 overs, including eight maidens, also made it tough going for the winless Jets.
Crawford sparked the Jets’ collapse when he had Greg Lyon (26) caught at cover by youngster Jasper Stewart.
The Redbacks were aided by some impressive fielding, which included the direct-hit run outs of Ben Devanny (2) by Thrum and first-gamer Jed Rodda (1) by Stewart.
Only openers Zoltan Smyth (28) and Lyon made more than 20 for the Jets.