AN ENTERTAINING century from Eaglehawk all-rounder Russell Stockdale paved the way for a dominant run-chase by the Hawks in their Bendigo District Cricket Association win over Huntly-North Epsom on Saturday.
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Set 188 to win by the Power at Canterbury Park, the Hawks scored at just under a run-a-ball as they coasted home by six wickets, answering with 4-188 in 32.1 overs.
Stockdale paced the run-chase with a superb 119 off 92 balls - his third century in his past 17 innings for the Hawks dating back to round nine of last season.
The hard-hitting opener - who just missed out on another century a fortnight earlier when he was dismissed for 98 against White Hills - smacked seven sixes and nine fours in his innings as he lifted his tally of runs for the season to 354.
"We were able to get away to a good start in our chase and I was able to have a couple of really good partnerships and it was great to get over the line," Stockdale said.
"I'm feeling pretty good with my batting at the moment; I'm having a bit of luck, but that's how I bat.
"I was a bit nervous in the 90s after throwing it away a couple of weeks ago, so it was a relief to get there today."
Stockdale was well supported at the top of the order by Anthony West (23), with the pair putting on 77 for the first wicket in just over 11 overs before West's dismissal by Adam Ward (2-10).
Stockdale also added 71 for the fourth wicket with Angus Chisholm (18 n.o.), with his innings ending with the Hawks just two runs from victory when bowled by Jarrod Harris (1-1).
Earlier after winning the toss and batting, Huntly-North Epsom opener Ryan Grundy notched his fourth half-century of the season.
Grundy cracked 66 off 64 balls with nine boundaries and one six, with he and Pat De Mel (47) combining for more than half the Power's score of 187.
The Power had been 9-158 before De Mel and No.11 Iraan Indika (5 n.o.) added 29 for the last wicket following an earlier mid-innings collapse.
The Power had one stage been 3-131 before losing 5-11 to crash to 8-142 against an even Eaglehawk attack that had all six bowlers used take a wicket, including the trio of Aaron Monro (2-28), captain Nick Farley (2-48) and Nash Viney (2-28) take two each.
KANGAROO FLAT v STRATHFIELDSAYE
An unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 95 between the experienced pair of Adam Burns and Brent Hamblin delivered Kangaroo Flat an upset win over Strathfieldsaye.
The Roos won by three wickets at Dower Park to end Strathfieldsaye's winning streak at six.
The Jets, though, had looked in a strong position to make it seven wins on the trot when, defending a score of 9-196, they had the Roos under pressure at 6-103 in the 25th over.
However, Hamblin and Burns dug in and the Roos didn't lose another wicket as they answered with 6-198 to win with 13 balls to spare.
Hamblin finished 68 n.o. off 86 with nine boundaries and one six, with Burns unbeaten on 30 in the Roos' third win of the season that came a week after they had been skittled for just 62 by Bendigo.
"After what happened last week, we really wanted to come out today and prove to ourselves that we are a better outfit than that with the bat," Roos' captain Chris Barber said.
"We lost a few early wickets, but our aim was to take it deep, which you've got to do when you're chasing runs and a couple of big overs at the end got us over the line. It was a really good win by the boys against a quality side."
While it was Hamblin and Burns who guided the Roos over the line, the home side also got contributions from Matt Dwyer (44) and Jake Klemm (35).
Coming in at 2-16 in the fourth over, Dwyer signaled his intent from the outset when he cracked Chathura Damith (2-40) for six first ball
And with two boundaries soon after Dwyer had quickly raced to 14 from his first seven balls faced.
Captain Ben Devanny's solid season with the ball continued for the Jets with 3-23 off nine overs.
The Jets were sent in earlier in the day with their innings a story of plenty of starts in the top-order, but no player cashing in.
All of the Jets' top six were dismissed for scores of between 23 and 36 - Callum McCarty (36), Tim Wood (32), Pat Felmingham (28), Abe Sheahan (26), Campbell Love (26) and Devanny (23).
Having one stage had figures of 0-22, Hamblin finished with 3-28 and also took two catches in a strong all-round game, while Burns (2-35) and Dylan Klemm (2-30) snared two wickets apiece.
Of the nine Strathfieldsaye wickets to fall, four tumbled in the final three overs of the innings.
WHITE HILLS v SANDHURST
Another fine knock at the top of the order from stalwart Gavin Bowles set up White Hills' second win of the season with a 50-run victory over Sandhurst at Scott Street.
Coming off 96 against Golden Square the previous week, opener Bowles backed it up with 88 in the Demons' 7-217 batting first.
Bowles shared in partnerships of 45 for the first wicket with Rhys Irwin (18), 47 for the second wicket captain Mitch Winter-Irving (22) and 50 for fifth wicket with Justin Slattery (20) during a 130-ball stay at the crease.
The classy left-hander struck five boundaries before he was one of two wickets for Kendrick Hatton (2-42).
Coach Dylan Gibson (2-39) also took two wickets for the Dragons, who were bowled out for 167 in reply to suffer a third loss in a row.
The Dragons were on the backfoot early at 3-24 with captain Joel Murphy (6), Anthony McMahon (2) and Gibson (7) all having been dismissed by Irwin, who was superb with the new ball.
After coming in at No.5 with his side on the ropes Ben Leed did his best to halt the Demons' momentum with a fighting 66 off 84 balls, while Jasper Langley (21) and Nahid Hossain (23) were the only other players to make more than 20 in a Sandhurst innings that ended in the 41st over.
After doing the damage early Irwin finished with 3-37 off eight overs, while left-arm spinner Linc Jacobs (3-22) also claimed three wickets for White Hills.
GOLDEN SQUARE v STRATHDALE-MARISTIANS
Golden Square gave Strathdale-Maristians a late scare in their clash.
Chasing Square's 9-146, the Suns looked to be coasting to victory at 3-131 in reply, before a flurry of four wickets as Square went down fighting at Wade Street.
Strathdale's margin of victory ended up being three wickets with 14 balls to spare as the Suns finished at 7-147 to bank another six points.
The cornerstone of the successful Strathdale run-chase was a 68-run partnership for the third wicket between Grant Waldron (45) and Jack Neylon (36).
The standout with the ball for the Bulldogs was Dylan Robinson, who was both economical and took wickets with 3-12 off seven overs, including three maidens.
Earlier, Golden Square's innings was anchored by veteran Scott Johnson.
Coming in at 1-3 in the second over, Johnson - who is averaging 103.0 - compiled 61 off 107, with only he, Jake Higgins (22) and Ben Derrick (22) making more than 20.
The Bulldogs were skippered in the absence of Liam Smith by Scott Trollope (7), who was dismissed via a brilliant piece of fielding teamwork by Sam Johnston and Matt Wilkinson.
Trollope hit a Jack Pysing (2-28) delivery to deep mid-wicket where it was caught by Johnston, who as he was about to step over the rope flicked the ball back to Wilkinson to complete the dismissal.
Suns' skipper Cameron Taylor's 4-30 off his nine overs of leg-spin were the game's best bowling figures.
BENDIGO UNITED v BENDIGO
Bendigo United overcame a shaky start to beat Bendigo by 44 runs at Harry Trott Oval.
Batting first the Redbacks were in strife at 3-18 in the eighth over, with the batsmen out including the big scalp of captain Clayton Holmes (10), caught by Dylan Johnstone off Declan Slingo (1-33) at mid-off.
However, Harry Donegan (64), Jake Thrum (49) and Zane Keighran (30) led a fightback as the Redbacks clawed their way to 190.
Bailey Goodwin followed up his five-for the previous week with 3-14 for the Goers, who after being 1-104 in their chase collapsed to be all out for 146 in the 41st over.
The flow of wickets came on the back of a strong start from openers Xavier Ryan (43) and Bailey George (41), with spinner Will Thrum leading the charge for the Redbacks.
Thrum bagged 4-40 off his nine overs and started the Goers' collapse when he had Ryan stumped by wicket-keeper Steve Barrett.
Thrum also claimed the big scalp of dangerman Kyle Humphrys (15), who he caught and bowled.
ROUND 9 TOP PERFORMERS
BATTING:
119 - Russell Stockdale
(Eaglehawk)
88 - Gavin Bowles
(White Hills)
68* - Brent Hamblin
(Kangaroo Flat)
66 - Ryan Grundy
(Huntly-North Epsom)
66 - Ben Leed
(Sandhurst)
64 - Harry Donegan
(Bendigo United)
61 - Scott Johnson
(Golden Square)
49 - Jake Thrum
(Bendigo United)
...........................................
BOWLING:
4-30 - Cameron Taylor
(Strathdale-Maristians)
4-40 - Will Thrum
(Bendigo United)
3-12 - Dylan Robinson
(Golden Square)
3-14 - Bailey Goodwin
(Bendigo)
3-22 - Linc Jacobs
(White Hills)
3-23 - Ben Devanny
(Strathfieldsaye)
3-28 - Brent Hamblin
(Kangaroo Flat)
3-37 - Rhys Irwin
(White Hills)
TODAY'S ROUND 10 GAMES:
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