With the club bolstered by Tim Hartshorn’s return from North Albury to play with his brothers, it defended 180 with relative ease.

Hartshorn ran through the tail to take 4-6 as Baranduda were dismissed for 130.

The Miners made 2-65 before stumps to stay firmly in the mix for finals action.

Keene said his team was better suited to two-day cricket.

“We have been looking forward to the proper cricket starting,” he said.

“I’m not a fan of one-day cricket at all.

“We’re trying to teach the kids how to build an innings and that doesn’t help at all.

“We knew we would start to play better when the two-day stuff started and we think we are slowly building.

“It was a good result at the weekend as Baranduda is a good side.”

On a slow outfield, Barnawartha-Chiltern’s bowlers were difficult to get away as Caleb Boxall, Chris Anderson, Murray Price and Keene honed in on the stumps.

Keene took 3-22 bowling off a shortened run up.

Price took the key wicket of Vince Moran for 34 with Rohan Pearce (21) providing the only real support.

“I thought 180 was enough if we bowled well,” Keene said.

“The boys stuck to the plans well.

“We have a tough game this weekend against Yackandandah and hopefully we can continue to build.”

Barnawartha-Chiltern is seventh on the ladder and take on the Roos, Eskdale and Howlong in the run home.

Dederang fell short of outright victory against Howlong.

The Spiders were 6-46 when stumps were drawn after being bundled out for 95 in their first innings at Dederang.

Mount Beauty were victors over Eskdale thanks to a half-century from Daniel Saville.

Kiewa were too strong for Yackandandah and Wodonga won a hard-fought tussle against Bethanga.

In this weekend’s matches, Howlong host a struggling Eskdale, Kiewa play Baranduda, the Miners take on Yackandandah, Bethanga play Mount Beauty and Wodonga face a tough task against Dederang.