MORE CRICKET – Eaglehawk v Huntly-North Epsom | PHOTOS
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ADAM Ward produced the best bowling performance in Huntly-North Epsom history as the Power surged into the BDCA top four with a commanding victory over Eaglehawk on Saturday.
Ward continued his outstanding form with the ball, bagging 8-39 off 21 overs as the Hawks were all out for 111 chasing the Power’s 8-219 at Canterbury Park.
Ward’s effort on Saturday ranks No.1 for bowling figures since the Power were established in 2001-02, surpassing Quinton Bentley’s 7-27 against Sandhurst in 2013-14.
Ward had the first of his eight wickets just three balls into the day when he had Hawks’ opener Marcus McKern (0) caught at slip by Siddamarakkalage De Silva.
By the time Ward had bowled 37 balls he had 5-14 and the Hawks were reeling at 5-25.
Of Ward’s opening five scalps in his early blitz, four were catches behind the wicket – two by keeper Brodie McRae and two at slip by De Silva, which included a one-handed ripper to remove Brodie Hawke (4).
Having taken all of the first five wickets to fall, Ward’s chances of becoming the first player in BDCA history to claim all 10 wickets in an innings ended when team-mate Brett Elvey (1-23) dismissed Matt Fitt (26).
Ward’s 8-39 – which rank No.9 on the list of best BDCA bowling figures since 2000 – featured one bowled and seven caught: four by De Silva and three by McRae.
Following their 0-3 start to 2018-19, the Power’s season has been reignited with three-straight wins over Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat (outright) and Eaglehawk.
Their two wins over Square and the Hawks came when both teams had been sitting on top of the ladder.
Ward has combined figures of 18-114 off 71.4 overs in the Power’s three-game winning streak.
Aaron Monro’s unbeaten 31 off 129 was the top score for Eaglehawk, which fell from top spot to third.
Apart from Monro, the only Hawks’ batsmen not to get out to Ward were Fitt and No.11 Nick Farley (0).
• From what had been a precarious 6-40 with the bat last week turned into a victory for Kangaroo Flat over White Hills at Scott Street.
After clawing their way out of trouble to 224 on day one, the Roos successfully defended their total, bowling White Hills out for 182.
It was a pivotal victory for the Roos, who bounced back from their outright defeat to Huntly-North Epsom the previous round.
The Roos joined a group of four teams – along with Strathfieldsaye, Strathdale-Maristians and White Hills – with a 3-3 record that are only four points out of the top four.
While the Roos’ front-line attack of captain Brent Hamblin (1-43), Dylan Klemm (1-43) and Adam Burns (2-33) all played their part, it was teenager Ryan Bell who took the bowling honours.
The youngster had 2-0 from his first seven deliveries before finishing with 3-10 off seven overs, while he also took the catch to dismiss Ollie Geary (6) off Burns.
READ MORE – Last week’s day one wrap
Captain Mitch Winter-Irving’s 42 off 50 opening the batting was the Demons’ top score in what was an innings where the Roos gained the upper hand with a burst of 3-12 during which White Hills fell from a solid 1-58 in the 18th over to a dicey 4-70 in the 24th.
Meanwhile, in the second XI match, White Hills’ opener David Blume cracked a double ton.
Blume belted 212 off 331 balls in the Demons’ 7-399 at Dower Park.
• All-rounder Matt Combe became the second Sandhurst recruit in as many games to score a century as the reigning premiers moved to the top of the ladder with a 125-run win over Strathfieldsaye at the QEO.
The Dragons answered the Jets’ 168 with 9-293 as they batted out their full 85 overs for the first time this season.
The innings was highlighted by Combe’s 117 off 191 balls in a knock that began in the 14th over with the Dragons 1-23.
Combe smacked 18 boundaries in his knock, with his century following fellow recruit Joel Murphy’s ton against Strathdale-Maristians the previous week.
The classy Murphy was again in good touch for the Dragons in scoring 66 off 106 – the third time in his past four innings the opener has made at least 60.
Seven of Murphy’s last eight scoring shots were all boundaries before his dismissal in the 44th over when caught in the covers.
The Dragons passed their target three wickets down in the 54th over, allowing for more than 30 overs of centre wicket practice with their fourth win in a row safely locked away.
Combe put on 89 for the second wicket with Murphy and 76 for the fourth with Ash Gray (23).
Just like Sandhurst’s Sam Sperling (5-70) the previous week, it was Strathfieldsaye’s left-arm off-spinner Savith Priyan who was the Jets’ leading wicket-taker with 4-94 off 26 overs.
• Strathdale-Maristians’ 321 proved beyond Bendigo, which was all out for 231 at Bell Oval and dropped to 2-4 for the season.
The Goers’ hopes of chasing down their challenging target were hindered early when they were in strife at 3-40 in the 13th over.
The Suns’ Jacob DeAraugo had an early confidence booster with two wickets inside his first four overs having come into the match with 1-184 for the season.
DeAraugo finished with 2-54 off 15 overs.
The Goers’ 231 featured a pair of half-centuries to captain Shane Koop (77 off 180) – who batted at No.3 instead of opening – and Liam Evans (51).
Koop and Evans teamed together for a 77-run partnership for the fourth wicket that stemmed the tide of the Suns’ early dominance.
Leg-spinner Cameron Taylor was rewarded for his 28 overs of toil with 4-60, with his scalps including both Koop – who was caught at slip by Andrew Chalkley – and Evans.
• Golden Square’s spin-heavy bowling attack tied down Bendigo United at Harry Trott Oval.
Square recorded a massive 207-run victory, restricting the Redbacks to 9-176 in reply to its 5-383.
The Square bowling line-up featured four spinners – Liam Smith (4-46), Jamie Bysouth (2-29), skipper Ben Gunn (1-10) and Jake Higgins (0-5) – who combined for 7-90 off 52 overs.
The standout with the bat for the Redbacks was Jayden Templeton, who placed plenty of value on his wicket, facing 176 balls and spending 169 minutes at the crease in making 69.
Templeton came in at 3-46 in the 22nd over and lasted until he was the ninth wicket to fall in the 77th.
It was a productive all-round game for Gunn against his former side – 77 runs last week, one wicket and three catches.
Bendigo United dropped to 0-6 and now faces the in-form Sandhurst in a one-dayer next Saturday.
• Next round (December 15) – Bendigo United v Sandhurst, Golden Square v Strathdale-Maristians, Huntly-North Epsom v Kangaroo Flat, Strathfieldsaye v Bendigo, White Hills v Eaglehawk.
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