
The BDCA's lower grade semi-finals threw up some remarkable results.
None more so than the third XI semi-final between Golden Square and Strathfieldsaye at the QEO.
The Jets appeared to have the game in the bag when they were 5-93 chasing 100 for victory. What transpired in the next 37 balls was extraordinary.
Golden Square's Aaron Sims bowled Justin Hargreaves for 28 to leave the Jets 6-93.
Next ball, new batsman Andrew Stove hit a boundary to make the equation just three runs to win.
Nine-straight dot balls later, Stove was dismissed by Sims for four to make the score 7-97.
New batsman Matt Gallagher played out five dot balls off the remainer of Sims' over before Jets' veteran Brent Yates was run out in the following over for 21.
The very next ball Square's Brad Perrow had Damien Tricarico trapped lbw first ball and the Jets had slumped to 9-97.
Sims followed up with a maiden over to Gallagher before Perrow repeated the dose to number 11 Stuart Robinson.
Four balls into Sims' next over the Jets' tailenders attemped a run, but Robinson was found short of his ground and the Bulldogs celebrated a stunning two-run win.
In the space of 37 balls, the Jets lost 5-4 to lose the match.
Square will play Bendigo United in the grand final after the Redbacks (8-184) proved too strong for Eaglehawk (139).
In the second XI, Bendigo is through to the grand final after defeating Sandhurst outright at North Bendigo.
In 117 overs, 32 wickets fell for just 245 runs.
The Goers ripped through the Dragons for just 41, with Jotham Higgs taking 5-14.
The Goers were in trouble themselves with the bat at 7-28 before Kayle Thompson blasted 55 off 65 balls to ensure the home side secured first inning points.
Ben Yarwood (4-33) and Jack Ryan (3-19) bowled well for Sandhurst.
With a lead of 50, Bendigo looked set to win by an innings when Sandhurst slumped to 8-20 in its second innings.
Tailenders Zac Sims (30) and Alex Winfield (25 not out) added 58 for the ninth wicket to lead the Dragons to a total of 81.
Higgs collected another five wickets for a match haul of 10-38 of 24 overs.
Pavan Bade took 4-29 to have match fiures of 7-38.
Bendigo lost two wickets in their chase of 32 runs for outright victory.
The Goers play minor premier Golden Square in the grand final.
The Dogs overcame a slow start with the bat to make 8-240 against Eaglehawk at Bell Oval.
16-year-old opening batsman Tom Campbell showed great concentration to bat through the 85 overs and make 70 not out, while Luke Baird chipped in with 49.
The Hawks never looked like reeling in the total and were dismissed for 171. Nash Viney top scored with 50.
Opening bowler Dylan Robinson claimed 3-8 for Square and leg-spinner Jamie Bysouth 3-27.
To cap off a bad weekend for Strathfieldsaye, its under-18 team sufferd a shock defeat to Bendigo.
The minor premier Jets had been expected to roll through to the grand final, but they were bowled out for 79 chasing 102 for victory.
Bendigo will play Strathdale-Maristians after the Suns upstaged Sandhurst by nine wickets.
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