A final-wicket stand saved reigning premier Huntly-North Epsom from a shock defeat to Bendigo United in round eight of the BDCA on Saturday.
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The second-placed Power were cruising at 3-66 chasing 111 for victory, but a stunning collapse put the Redbacks back in the game.
Bendigo United opening bowler Tom Batters took four wickets in a brilliant second spell to reduce the Power to 9-94.
Batters bowled stump to stump on the Strauch Reserve pitch and was rewarded with brilliant figures of 5-19 off nine overs.
When Brett Elvey was the ninth wicket to fall, it was left to skipper Elliott Massina and number 11 Mitch Whittle to try and guide the Power over the line.
Whittle, who had a highest score of three this season, stood firm under extreme pressure.
Whittle only contributed three runs, but he survived 22 balls as Massina did the bulk of the scoring.
The duo chipped away at the target with singles and the odd two.
With scores level in the penultimate over, Massina found the boundary for the only time in his innings to seal victory.
The skipper finished 25 not out off 61 balls - second best score for the Power behind Ajith Rajapaksha (30).
The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for the plucky Redbacks.
Playing without Miggy Podosky, the bottom side on the ladder went within a whisker of winning their first game since round one.
Jake Klemm showed his class with the bat by making 49 of his side's score of 8-110.
Power star Adam Ward took 4-24 off nine overs.
Eaglehawk v Sandhurst
An unbeaten century from Sri Lankan import Shasheen Fernando set up Sandhurst's win over Eaglehawk at Canterbury Park.
The classy left-hander had a highest score this season of 26 prior to Saturday's match-winning 103 not out.
The opener batted through the innings and faced 146 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes.
Fernando and Joel Murphy (44) added 90 for the first wicket to lay the foundation for the Dragons' total of 3-204 off 45 overs.
The two clubs held a minute's silence before the game to honour Jess and Deighton's memory.
West batted at number three and immediately made an impact.
He struck three fours and one six to put the Hawks in the game.
However, when he was stumped off the bowling of Sam Sperling for 29 off 26 balls the momentum flipped.
From 1-40 the Hawks lost 5-6 to fall to 6-46.
From there the Hawks did well just to bat out their 45 overs.
It took Nick Farley (39) and youngster Angus Chisholm (20 not out) to push the Borough's score to 9-150 off 45 overs.
All of the Sandhurst bowling attack made a contribution.
Matt Combe (3-31), Taylor Beard (2-12 off nine overs) and Kayde Howard (2-27) were the pick of the attack.
Strathdale-Maristians v Golden Square
Ladder-leader Strathdale-Maristians overcame adversity to defeat Golden Square in an entertaining clash at Bell Oval.
The Bulldogs scored a shock win over the Suns in November and, at times on Saturday, they looked like repeating the dose.
Firstly, BDCA representative squad vice-captain Ryan Hartley threatened to take the game away from Strathdale with an early onslaught with the bat.
Hartley hit 11 fours and one six in a sparkling 64 off just 45 balls.
Cameron Taylor's arrival at the bowling crease in the 15th over changed the course of the game.
Taylor dismissed Hartley with his second ball of the game with the score on 73.
The Bulldogs relied on key all-rounder Scott Trollope to guide them to a competitive score.
Aside from Hartley, Trollope was the only other batsman to score more than 15. He posted a fine 70 off 86 balls, including four fours and four sixes, to lift the Dogs to 9-192 off 45 overs.
Taylor picked up three more wickets for the Suns to finish with 4-19 off his nine overs, while Sam Johnston claimed 3-37 off his nine overs.
In reply, the Suns were in all sorts of trouble two overs into their innings.
James Vlaeminck was bowled by Liam Smith off the first ball of the innings and in the second over Trollope clean bowled Taylor for one.
From 2-3 the Suns steadily built to 3-32 and then 4-58 before skipper Ben DeAraugo joined recruit Grant Waldron for a crucial partnership.
Waldron and DeAraugo (16) added 58 for the fifth wicket in good time.
Johnston then joined Waldron and they put the Suns on track for victory with a brisk 51-run stand.
Waldron looked set for his second century of the season before he fell for 83.
Johnston (46 not out) and wily veteran Linton Jacobs (16 not out) saw the Suns over the line with 17 balls to spare.
Trollope (2-35) and Corey Van Aken (2-38) were the most successful bowlers for Golden Square.
White Hills v Strathfieldsaye
Strathfieldsaye's Sri Lankan imports Savith Priyan and Chathura Damith led the Jets to a crucial win over White Hills at Scott Street.
White Hills, who were chasing a fifth-straight win, failed to capitalise on a good start with the bat.
From 0-56 and 3-109 the Demons were bowled out for just 146 and they paid the price.
Priyan - the BDCA's leading wicket-taker with 25 - strangled the Demons' vulnerable middle-order and took 3-19 off his nine overs.
Young spinner Darcy Hunter chipped in with 3-37.
Rhys Irwin held the White Hills' innings together with 59 off 122 balls.
The Demons had to bowl Strathfieldsaye out to win the game and they started well by claiming three early wickets, including the key dismissal of Ben Devanny for three.
Cal McCarty (26) and Seamus Dwyer (18) added 38 for the fourth wicket, but when they fell the Jets slipped to 7-104.
Damith and Jed Rodda added 25 for the eighth wicket and with three overs remaining the visitors needed 18 run for victory.
On the first ball of the 43rd over Damith clipped a delivery in the air to deep square leg.
The ball was dropped on the boundary line and rolled over the rope for four.
Damith made the Demons pay by hitting the next four balls for 4, 2, 2, 4 and 1 to tie the scores and bring up his half-century.
Third ball of the 44th over Damith hit another boundary to seal victory. Damith finished 54 not out off 55 balls.
Linc Jacobs (3-15) continued his career-best season with the ball for White Hills.
The win lifted the Jets to the same amount of points as the third-placed Demons and fourth-placed Bendigo.
Kangaroo Flat v Bendigo
Kangaroo Flat moved to within one game of the top four after defeating Bendigo by three wickets at the QEO.
The Roos overcame a couple of lapses to defeat the Goers with a couple of overs to spare.
Adam Burns gave the Roos a perfect start by dismissing Xavier Ryan (0) in the first over and Kyle Humphrys (2) a short time later.
If not for skipper Shane Koop, the Goers would have been in all sorts of trouble.
Koop was the only batsman in Bendigo's top eight to score more than 12.
He made a patient 65 off 114 balls before being bowled by spinner Chris Barber (3-47). When Koop departed the Goers were 8-114 in the 37th over.
It looked like the Roos would be chasing a target around 130, but Bendigo tailenders Dylan Johnstone and Bailey Goodwin gave their side a chance with a superb partnership.
Johnstone (40 not out off 47 balls) and Goodwin (20 not out off 24 balls) added 60 runs in the final eight overs to lift Bendigo to 8-174 off 45 overs.
Flat opening batsman Chris Barber came out blazing. He hit six boundaries and scored the first 26 runs of the Roos' innings before falling to Goodwin. Dylan Gibson, Josh Collinson and Ben Birkhead fell cheaply to leave the Roos 4-56.
With their season potentially on the line the Roos needed a big partnership and skipper Brent Hamblin and Daniel Barber provided just that. Hamblin (45) and Barber (42) added 94 for the fifth wicket.
Their dismissals, plus Matt Dwyer's failure, briefly gave the Goers a sniff, but Burns (14 not out) and Dylan Klemm (three not out) clinched the six points.
Goodwin completed a great all-round game by taking 4-40 for Bendigo.
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