It was a red letter day for Bendigo cricketers in Victoria Premier Cricket.
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Former White Hills keeper-batsman Brayden Stepien blasted a century, ex-Strathfieldsaye quick Xavier Crone bagged five wickets and former Sandhurst paceman Nick Gladman made his first XI debut.
Stepien and Crone were the stars of Carlton's big win over Kingston Hawthorn at Princes Park.
After being sent into bat, Carlton posted 7-297 off its 50 overs.
Stepien was at his brilliant best, making 104 off just 93 balls, including eight fours and four sixes.
After initially playing second fiddle to opening partner Tom Smyth, Stepien launched a brutal attack on the Kinbgston Hawthorn bowlers to bring up his second century of the season.
Smyth (90 off 80 balls) and Stepien added 190 for the first wicket.
There were still 17 overs remaining when Stepien was dismissed with the score on 203.
Crone then went about destroying the Kingston Hawthorn top-order.
The Victorian squad member was on a hat-trick after taking wickets with the second and third ball of the innings.
He repeated the dose with the first two balls of his sixth over.
Crone eventually finished with 5-23, with Kingston Hawthorn dismissed for a paltry 55.
It was Crone's second five-wicket haul of the summer.
Gladman took a wicket on debut for Essendon in the Bombers' loss to Prahran.
Gladman, who earlier this summer played for Victoria Country at the national under-19 championships, had Prahran opener James Billington caught behind for 35 with his second ball in first XI cricket.
He finished with figures of 1-35 off five overs in Prahran's total of 7-240.
Gladman batted number 11 and made six in Essendon's score of 196.
Gladman's Essendon team-mate James Seymour, who was recruited from Bendigo, had a solid day with bat and ball.
Seymour took 2-21 off his 10 overs of off-spin and then made 39 off 44 balls with the bat.
The Bombers were without Liam Bowe, who was picked to make his debut with the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League on Saturday night.
Elsewhere in first XI action, former Sandhurst keeper-batsman Isaac Conway made one in Camberwell Magpies' 39-run loss to Northcote.
Former Sandhurst junior Damon Egan made eight for St Kilda in the Saints' 13-run win over Monash Tigers.
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