BDCA ROUND 1: Purcell hat-trick highlights day one of new season

The Suns' 19-year-old had the day out with the ball against Golden Square in what was the return of two-day cricket in the BDCA for the first time since March of 2020.

Given the heavy rain that had fallen earlier in the week that interrupted pitch preparations and led to the BDCA board on Friday calling off all morning cricket, there was no surprises when four of the five first XI captains won the toss and opted to bowl.

The only team to win the toss and bat was Strathfieldsaye against Bendigo in what's a rare BDCA game at the QEO in October.

At Wade Street, Purcell claimed the first five-wicket haul of his first XI career as he bagged 5-11 off six overs as Golden Square was bowled out for 151 in the 73^rd over.

Having had his first taste in the Suns' first XI last season Purcell grasped his opportunity to start in the side in round one, with his five-wicket bag featuring a hat-trick during his fourth over.

Golden Square had been 5-105 before Purcell struck three times in consecutive balls, dismissing Jayden Templeton (c Ben DeAraugo, 13), Tom McKinley (lbw, 0) and Zavier Abbott (bowled, 0) as the Bulldogs crashed to 8-105.

Earlier, the lively Purcell had also claimed a wicket in his first over when he bowled Golden Square opener Scott Johnson (33), while his five scalps also included Lachlan Saunders (2).

"It was only the six overs Tom bowled, but he had two really good bursts for us before and after tea," Strathdale-Maristians' captain Cameron Taylor said.

"After tea it can be that patch in the game where it can get fairly long in the field, so for Tom to be able to get a hat-trick in that period was huge in terms of making inroads.

"He got a couple of goes in the first XI last year to get a taste of it, but he was in the side today because he looked like he was ready and he was certainly on the money for the overs he bowled, which was awesome."

With over restrictions now removed on bowlers with the return of two-dayers following three seasons of all one-day games, Taylor (2-52) and Sam Johnston (2-49) bowled 22 each for the Suns.

While there remains the core group of players who have been integral in the Suns' dynasty of success still at the club, Saturday did signal the beginning of a new era of sorts with Matt Wilkinson assuming the gloves in place of the BDCA's all-time leader for wicket-keeping dismissals, Linton Jacobs, who has retired.

Golden Square's three most experienced players in Scott Trollope (41), Johnson (33) and skipper Liam Smith (26) combined to score 100 of the Bulldogs' 151 runs.

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As well as top-scoring with the bat, Trollope claimed two wickets late in the day when he removed Suns' opener Wikinson (4) and star No.3 Grant Waldron (0) in consecutive deliveries in the third over.

Wilkinson and Waldron were both caught by wicket-keeper Jake Higgins, with Trollope ending the day with 2-11 and the Suns at 2-24, with Taylor (14 n.o.) and James Barri (6 n.o.) to resume the chase next week with the visitors needing a further 128 runs to win.

"We had that tough little patch before the end of play, which we probably haven't had to contend with for a long time," Taylor said.

"There was a bit there in the deck today in terms of the ball nibbling around and Scotty Trollope bowled really well to get a couple of wickets... they were very good balls to get both of them."

Kangaroo Flat is well on track to begin its premiership defence with a win after veteran Adam Burns showed at the age of 41 he's still as dangerous as ever against Eaglehawk.

With Burns taking five-for, the Hawks were bowled out for 140 in 51 overs by the reigning premiers at Canterbury Park.

And the aggressive Roos didn't waste any time in their run-chase, going to stumps at 4-99 from 32 overs.

Bowling second-change after coming into the attack in the 15^th over, Burns snared 5-17 off 12 overs, including five maidens.

Burns had an impact with the ball almost immediately when he had Angus Chisholm (5) caught by wicket-keeper Campbell Smith with his second delivery.

He was later on a hat-trick when he removed Hawks' debutant Xavier Grant (17) and Daniel Major (0) in consecutive deliveries. New Eaglehawk captain Aaron Monro played and missed on Burns' hat-trick delivery before he was bowled by the Roos' veteran soon after for two.

"It was a bit of an underdone wicket today and Burnsy would have played on a few of those over the years, so he was probably feeling a bit at home," Kangaroo Flat captain Jake Klemm said.

"He was able to get a bit of reverse swing with the ball and once Burnsy starts swinging it both ways, I don't think many batsmen are going to stand much of a chance."

Hawks' opener Cam McGlashan top-scored with 42 from 76 balls and later ended the day with three wickets.

McGlashan dismissed the Roos' trio of opener Chris Barber, who made a quickfire 35 off 25 balls with seven fours, Jake Klemm (6) and Campbell Smith (0) to go to stumps with 3-20 off seven overs.

Kangaroo Flat opener Daniel Barber batted through the 32 overs to reach stumps unbeaten on 37, while Matt Dwyer is 13 n.o., with the Roos needing 42 to win next Saturday with six wickets in hand.

Sandhurst already has first innings points against Huntly North locked up after a stellar bowling performance from leg-spinner Ben Evans at Strauch Reserve.

Evans had the Power in a spin as he produced the best figures of the opening day of the season with 7-23 off 15 overs as Huntly North was all out for 82.

It was a stunning return to the first XI for Evans after not playing last season because of a wrist injury.

His seven wickets included two caught, three bowled, one lbw and one stumped, with his first dismissal coming on the second ball of his second over.

The Power had one stage been 0-44 in the 23^rd over after skipper Ryan Grundy (27) and Jarrod Harris (17) made a solid start.

However, once Evans was introduced into the attack and had Harris caught by Dragons' captain Dylan Gibson it sparked a procession of wickets as the Power lost 10-38 to be bowled out in the 49^th over.

Since 2000 Evans' figures of 7-23 have only been surpassed at the Dragons by Craig Howard's 9-60 against Strathdale-Maristians in round three of 2016-17.

"It was an outstanding spell of bowling; Ben may not be super well known around the league yet, but he will be... he's a gun," the Dragons' Gibson said.

"To Huntly's credit, they started well and didn't give a chance for 20-odd overs and then when Ben came on the floodgates opened. Ben was fantastic with the way he was able to land everything and I don't think you'd see a better spell of leg-spin bowling."

As well as Evans' seven-for, the Dragons' Taylor Beard also had the ball jagging around to take 1-5 off 8.4 tight overs with five maidens.

"Beardy said after play he didn't think he had bowled a better opening spell before and not got a wicket... he was swinging it sideways today," Gibson said.

And fellow spinner Liam Stubbings (2-25 off 15) was also impressive for the Dragons.

At one stage the Power lost 7-12 as they slumped from 0-44 to 7-56, with Evans taking five of those scalps.

Only Grundy, Harris and Kyen Burrill-Grinton (13) reached double figures for the Power.

By stumps Sandhurst already had an 11-run lead, reaching 2-93 off 35 overs.

Sandhurst recruit Tom Starr fell just short of cracking a half-century in his first innings for his new club making 48, while Ben Leed (7) is the other batsman out.

Jasper Langley and Ash Gray will resume the innings next week where you'd expect the Dragons to make a play for outright points.

Bendigo United grinded its way to 175 against White Hills at Harry Trott Oval.

Boundaries didn't come easy for the Redbacks with just 11 fours hit in their 85 overs, although, top-scorer Steve Barrett did crunch four sixes.

Batting at No.6 and coming in with the Redbacks' 4-88 in the 54^th over, keeper-batsman Barrett upped the ante with 66 off 82 balls.

The Redbacks looked like they could battle to get to 130 when they found themselves at 8-112 in the 71^st over.

However, Barrett with support from Ash Younghusband (6 n.o.) added 60 for the ninth wicket to push the score up over 170 to give the home side some momentum late in the day to carry into next week.

Earlier, the top-order pair of opener Will Pinniger and Riley Treloar both played patient innings for the Redbacks.

Pinniger, who batted into the 35^th over, compiled 22 off 110 balls and Treloar 35 off 132 deliveries.

New White Hills' off-spinner Michael Nalesnyik showed how valuable an aquistion he will be with the ball for the Demons' first-up.

BDCA ROUND 1: Bendigo United v White Hills | PHOTOS

The experienced Nalesnyik, whose background includes a stint with Premier Cricket club Footscray, bagged 4-24 off 19 overs, including 11 maidens.

Three of Nalesnyik's wickets were catches taken by Ben Irvine.

Opening bowler Nick Wharton picked up 3-48 off 19 overs, while Rhys Irwin (1-51) claimed the key breakthrough of Bendigo United captain Clayton Holmes (13), who was the first wicket of the day when caught by wicket-keeper Brayden Stepien to have the Redbacks 1-23 in the 11^th over.

Strathfieldsaye and Bendigo each fielded sides with four debutantes in their clash at the QEO, which has been moved from Tannery Lane.

The Jets - who look likely to be the competition's big sliders this season after a hefty turnover of players - included teenagers Jett Grundy, Jasper Cheesman, Aston Wilson and Kobey Hunter for their first XI debuts.

And the Goers had the quartet of Aidan Goddard, Archer Carlile, Dylan Lovell and Sam Moran playing their debut games in the first XI.

Bucking the trend for the day and opting to bat first, the Jets were the only first XI team to make more than 200, posting 8-244 off their 85 overs in what was a round one re-match of last season's elimination final.

The Jets got away to a brisk start, cracking 77 runs off their first 20 overs.

Savith Priyan was given the opportunity to open the batting and compiled a half-century with a knock of 52.

Priyan and Matt Newbold (30) put on 68 for the first wicket to lay a foundation for the Jets to build on.

Priyan struck seven boundaries in his knock, with his innings lasting until he was the third wicket to fall with the score on 98 when caught by Joel Bothe off Kyle Humphrys in the 28^th over.

The Jets were later 8-184 in the 71^st over before the innings closed out with an unbroken 60-run partnership between Pat Dillon (43 n.o.) and 16-year-old Grundy (23 n.o.) in what was a strong finish to the day.

Off-spinner Humphrys sent down 26 overs for a return of 4-53 to be the pick of the Goers' bowlers.

Carlile (1-15) needed just two balls to take his first wicket in the first XI for the Goers when he had Jack Stubbs (3) caught by wicket-keeper Xavier Ryan shortly after tea.

Sandhurst 195 v Huntly North 0-0.

White Hills 9-224 v Bendigo United 0-0.

Kangaroo Flat 9-179 v Eaglehawk.

Golden Square 203 v Strathdale-Maristians.

Strathfieldsaye 6-270 v Bendigo.

Kangaroo Flat 6-168 def Strathfieldsaye Jets 8-162.

Golden Square 7-153 def Sandhurst 76.

Eaglehawk 6-154 def White Hills 4-153.

Strathfieldsaye 3-151 def Strathdale-Maristians 126.

All scores according to PlayHQ.

* At this stage due to the changeover from MyCricket to PlayHQ, cricket scoreboards are unable to be published in Monday's print edition.

BENDIGO'S James Seymour has been included in Victoria's Marsh Cup one-day squad for Monday's match against defending champions Western Australia in Perth.

Opening batsman Seymour has been joined in the Marsh Cup squad by another former Bendigo player in bowler Sam Elliott.

And with ex-Sandhurst player Todd Murphy also selected, there's three players with links to the Bendigo District Cricket Association in the Victorian squad for the clash.

Victoria sits at the top of the Marsh Cup ladder after two games after beating Tasmania by three wickets on September 25 and New South Wales by 59 runs on September 29.

Victoria will be captained by Peter Handscomb, with the game beginning at 1pm AEDT.

"The team has taken a lot of confidence from both Marsh Cup wins at the CitiPower Centre last week and are looking forward to going up against last year's champions in WA," Cricket Victoria head of male cricket David Hussey said.

Victorian squad to play Western Australia: Peter Handscomb (c) (St Kilda),Scott Boland (Frankston), Sam Elliott (Fitzroy-Doncaster), Sam Harper (Melbourne), Campbell Kellaway (Melbourne), Jon Merlo (St Kilda), Todd Murphy (St Kilda), Fergus O'Neill (Melbourne), Mitch Perry (Richmond), Tom Rogers (Ringwood), James Seymour (Essendon), Will Sutherland (Prahran).

Marsh Cup ladder: Victoria (2-0), Western Australia (2-0), New South Wales (1-1), Queensland (0-1), South Australia (0-1), Tasmania (0-2).

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