Bendigo captures provincial group title at Melbourne Country Cricket Week

By Adam Bourke
Updated November 7 2012 - 3:30am, first published February 19 2010 - 11:34am
NUMBER ONE: The Bendigo District Cricket Association's players and officials celebrate after winning yesterday's provincial group play-off against Kyabram at Melbourne Country Cricket Week at Albert Oval. Picture: CHRIS McCORMACK
NUMBER ONE: The Bendigo District Cricket Association's players and officials celebrate after winning yesterday's provincial group play-off against Kyabram at Melbourne Country Cricket Week at Albert Oval. Picture: CHRIS McCORMACK

BENDIGO won its second Melbourne Country Cricket Week provincial premiership in four years yesterday, with a hard-fought 47-run win over Kyabram at the Albert Ground.A brilliant batting display set up the win, with Ben Gunn (83 off 88 balls), man-of-the-match Darren Petersen (77 off 49), and Matt Kile (66 off 65) posting half-centuries in Bendigo’s imposing total of 7-295.The target proved too much for a gallant Kyabram, who gave Bendigo plenty of headaches in its run chase.“It’s a fantastic feeling. This is the pinnacle for Bendigo cricket,’’ an elated Bendigo coach David Rosaia said.“This group has done a marvellous job. Melbourne Country Week is very hard to win and to the boys credit they played great cricket all week.“The batting today was fantastic. We knew we’d need at least 250 on that wicket, so to get 295 put us in a great position.’’The victory was sweet for Bendigo skipper Adam Burns, who missed the 2007 grand final win.“I think this is my ninth Country Week carnival, so to finally win one is fantastic,’’ Burns said.“The boys were sensational all week . . . at some stage everyone played a part.“We were under a bit of pressure in the field today, but the boys stuck with it and we got the result.’’After winning the toss and batting on a perfect pitch, openers Kile and Matt Fitt (28) laid the foundation for Bendigo’s big total, adding 64 for the first wicket inside the opening 16 overs.Fitt’s dismissal did little to hamper Kile’s progress.The Kangaroo Flat teenager capped his first Country Week carnival with a brilliant 66 off 65 balls, which included four fours and two sixes.Gunn and Heath Behrens continued Bendigo’s steady progress adding 62 for the third wicket before Behrens (27) chopped a Tom Sullivan delivery on to his off-stump.Petersen strode to the wicket at 3-180 in the 37th over and for the next 11 overs the match was his.He attacked from ball one, blasting the Kyabram attack to all parts of the picturesque Albert Ground.His first 50 came off just 34 balls.Gunn was on 57 when Petersen started his innings, but such was Petersen’s dominance the pint-sized left-hander forged past Gunn just before he was dismissed.Petersen eventually fell for 77 off 49 balls, including seven fours and two sixes.Gunn and Petersen added 104 off 11 overs for the fourth wicket.Gunn holed out in the second-last over for a superb 83 off 88 balls, including six fours and two sixes.Kyabram’s run-chase started brilliantly, with Paul Newman and Paul Parsons finding the boundary regularly.After 18 overs, Kyabram was 0-107 and on track to reel in Bendigo’s target.The introduction of off-spinner Nick Crawford and teenage paceman Richard Tibbett paid dividends for Bendigo.Newman, 56 off 60, tried to pull a short ball from Tibbett, but only managed to spoon a simple catch to Crawford at mid-wicket.Next over, Parsons, 46 off 55, was bowled by Crawford and the game had turned once again.Tibbett followed up with the wicket of Ohlsen (13) and he then ran out Elborough (5) to have Kyabram 4-146 in the 30th over.Just when Bendigo looked to be on top, the game swung again as Daniel Kent and Adrian Pappin batted aggressively and put the BDCA on the back foot once again.With 13 overs remaining, Kyabram needed 96 and Bendigo desperately needed a wicket.Kangaroo Flat veteran Brad Orton stepped up when the team needed him most when he had Kent, 51 off 56, caught by Heath Behrens at mid-wicket.His wicket sparked a mini-collapse as Kyabram lost 3-11 to be 7-212 in the 41st over.Pappin was the dangerman and he combined with Tom Sullivan for a quickfire partnership of 28 to give Kyabram a glimmer of hope.However, Bendigo skipper Adam Burns sealed Kyabram’s fate by dismissing Sullivan and Adam Nunn in consecutive deliveries.A short time later, Bendigo celebrated victory when tailender Scott Hearn was run out by Kile.While Burns was the leading wicket-taker with 3-58, Tibbett (2-41) and Crawford (1-44) were the standouts in Bendigo’s attack.

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