AN INSPIRED bowling performance from Matt Jaensch guided Belvoir to its maiden Provincial premiership.
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The right-armer bowled 33 overs unchanged to finish with figures of 6-44 as the Eagles successfully defended 220, tearing through the Bulldogs for 118 at Les Cheesley Oval.
The victory marked a meteoric rise for the Eagles, who joined the Provincial competition from District in the 2007-08 season.
Opener Glen Vassallo (56) and captain Drew Cameron (55) set the victory up for Belvoir with half centuries on the opening day against a strong bowling performance from Beau Kennedy, who took 4-48 off 21.4 overs.
In reply, Wodonga captain-coach Robbie Jackson batted superbly to finish 54 not out but it was a lone hand.
Cameron, in just his second senior match as skipper, said the victory was a fairytale.
“It’s amazing, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt,” he said.
“You can tell by the following we’ve got here that it means a lot to everyone and it’s not just the 12 blokes in the whites, it’s a whole club approach.”
Cameron was in awe of Jaensch’s bowling performance after Englishman Jack Holt (2-11 off nine overs) set the scene with the wickets of BJ Garvey and Andrew Weighell early on Sunday.
The Bulldogs recovered to 4-75 after slumping to 4-41 but when Jaensch removed dangerman James Tonkin for 23 and the experienced Dan Dixon lbw for a duck very next ball, Wodonga’s chances of victory were shot.
“Until we got ‘Jacko’ out we were never going to be sure but we felt like we were on top for most of the day,” Cameron said.
“I asked ‘Jaenschy’ how he was going and he said ‘good luck getting the ball out of my hand now’.
“He was born for days like this.”
After winning the toss and batting, the Eagles made a cautious start, getting to tea with just two wickets down but only 84 runs on the board as they blocked out five maidens before the interval.
After being 3-148 in the 61st over, the Eagles lost 4-36 and went from posting a score of 250-plus to battling to make 200.
But Cameron, who thrived with the captaincy after Mick Russell stood aside, said the Eagles were determined to bat the entire day after being steamrolled by the Bulldogs for 118 in the semi-final a fortnight earlier.
“We batted and bowled to our plans and we said in our team meeting that if we did that we’d win,” he said.
“The captaincy gives you that added responsibility, I knew I couldn’t throw my wicket away.
“‘Vass’ batted amazing, it’s the best innings I’ve seen him play.”
