BETHANGA is set for another mammoth run chase next weekend, after a half century from Baranduda captain Mitch Ryan laid the foundations for a total of 240 on Saturday.
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Paul Munro chipped in with 41, with the Rangers benefiting from the tail end batting of Vince Moran (35no) and Aiden Ryan (29).
There were plenty of batting highlights, but Saints bowler Gary Bohun stole the show with a hat-trick.
Bohun trapped Munro in front lbw before Rohan Pearce steered a catch to point just one ball later.
Andrew Russell stepped up the crease, and took a big and a miss to hand Bohun his third wicket in three balls.
Bethanga captain Brodie Sirl said the hat-trick gave his side a way back into the game.
“They got right on top of us early, no doubt about it,” he said.
“The Rangers were very solid, they knuckled down and got the better of our bowlers a few times, so we’ve certainly got our work cut our for us.”
It’s the second round in a row Bethanga have faced a big run chase, after they very nearly chased down Barnawartha/Chiltern’s total of 279 last week.
Sirl said the team had drawn confidence from their fightback, despite not quite being able to secure the win.
“We were really on a high after the game last week, it was a magnificent effort,” he said.
“That said, we still have to respect the Rangers’ bowling, Vince Moran is a quality bowler, likewise Aiden Ryan.”
A Bethanga win would blow the race for finals wide open heading into the final round, after entering the round level on points with seventh placed Yackandandah.
Adam Hardisty (87) and Mark Purtell (50) led Yackandandah to a competitive total of 203 against league leaders Kiewa, who finished the day on 1/16 after 11 overs.
The bad news for Yackandandah and Bethanga is that sixth-placed Howlong are in a dominant position after their first day against Dederang.
Howlong have an eight-point buffer between themselves and Yackandandah, and are unlikely to lose much ground after setting Dederang a massive 296 to win.
Nick Shelley (79), Scott Montgomery (67) and Aaron Hoskin (60no) did the heavy lifting, while opener Stephen Burgess chipped in with 44.
Elsewhere, a five wicket haul to the Miners’ Cam McCormack left Mount Beauty all out for 187, with Greg McLennan’s 72 the only significant total to speak of for the alpine side.
The Miners got off to a flying start through Chris Hartshorn (27no) to be 1/35 after 10 overs at the end of play on Saturday.
Xavier Webb (44), Tom Russell (34) and Ben Greer (29) got last-placed Wodonga off to a good start against Eskdale, but a lower order collapse saw their last five wickets fall for just eight runs.
Their total of 158 can be defended, but Eskdale will take a lot of stopping at their home ground.
