Baird the hero as Golden Square scores crucial BDCA win

Batting at No.9, Baird went to the crease with the score on 7-76.

He teamed with Darren Clutton, 15, in a 39-run stand and then with teenager Scott Woodman, 9 not out, for an unbeaten partnership of 21 to push the target to 8-135.

Best of the Bendigo United attack were Miggy Podosky, 3-16 off nine; and Marcus Smalley, 2-33 off nine.

Unbeaten since the first round, Bendigo United looked well set in the chase on 1-81 as Wayne Fidler, Heath Behrens and Mark Di Fede led the way.

The contest then swung dramatically as Square took 6-8, in which Baird and James Pietromonaco, 2-22 off nine over, destroyed the middle-order.

Golden Square’s wicket-taking spree included four dismissals as BUCCs added just one run.

Not only was Baird taking wickets by hitting the stumps or by catches by team-mates, but he also took a catch off a Pietromonao delivery as the Redbacks crashed to 6-89.

The Bendigo United fightback was led by Patrick Naughtin and Miggy Podosky as they teamed for a 26-run stand.

When he bowled Podosky, Baird had achieved the first five-wicket haul of his career.

Bulldogs’ captain Grant Connelly took the last two wickets, which included the crucial 10th wicket of  Naughtin, leg before, as Square celebrated a five-run victory.

At Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park, the Borough beat Srathfieldsaye by 18 runs.

Two of Eaglehawk’s most experienced players, Matt White and Andrew Smith were in blazing form with the bat, which included a third-wicket stand of 84.

White hit a match-high 82 and Smith scored 77 as the Hawks reached 6-215 off 45 overs.

Jets’ spinner Liam Smith opened the bowling and took 3-39, and captain Ben Gunn claimed 2-23 off nine overs.

Smith trapped Hawks’ stand-in captain Matt Fitt leg before, while the classy Anthony West was also dismissed cheaply.

The Jets’ chase was led by the in-form Greg Lyon, who had struck a century in the previous round.

Lyon scored 79 in this match, while Tim Wood, 45, and Gunn, 32, also batted well.

When Lyon was caught with the score on 165, the Jets then lost 5-24 as Coby Hansen, 4-20 off two overs,  and Nathan O’Neill, 2-28 off five overs, captured wickets.

Strathdale-Maristians made it nine wins in a row, but the Suns were feeling the heat at 5-55, chasing Kangaroo Flat’s target of 138 at Bell Oval.

The competition’s leading run-scorer and reigning Cricketer of the Year, Cameron Taylor was bowled for just seven by Liam Jones, while Roos’ wicket-keeper Josh Newlan took four catches.

Suns’ captain Linton Jacobs, 42, and all-rounder Ben DeAraugo, 22 not out, teamed for a sixth-wicket stand of 63 to turn the game.

DeAraugo and Craig Howard, 19 not out, ensured victory was reached in the 30th over.

A highlight for the Suns was the bowling performance of Braden Hocking, 4-35 off eight overs, while DeAraugo, 1-12 off seven, kept the Roos under pressure.

Best for Kangaroo Flat were Daniel Barber, 32; Mitchell Collins, 24; and skipper Adam Burns, 24.

After a rare failure with the bat this summer, Brent Hamblin hit back to take 4-41 for Flat.

Meanwhile, semi-finals in the BDCA Twenty20 competition are on this Wednesday from 5pm.

Bendigo United faces Huntly-North Epsom at Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street, Kennington.

White Hills takes on Strathfieldsaye on the Demons’ truf at Integrating Technology Oval in Scott Street.

Although the Jets finished second and White Hills third on the overall 20/20 ladder, they were in separate divisions.

The Twenty20 grand final is on January 23 at the QEO.

                                  – NATHAN DOLE