Matt Jaensch took 7-22 in Belvoir's thrilling win over North Albury

Defending just 107, the Eagles bowled superbly with Jaensch leading the charge as North, previously unbeaten, collapsed to 9/71.

Hoppers captain Brendan Simmons kept his side in the hunt with a gutsy 31 not out but it was all over when Jaensch trapped Brandon Purtell lbw in his final over to finish with 7-22, the best figures in provincial cricket this season.

"Matt was incredible," Belvoir captain Drew Cameron said.

"He just kept steaming in for us and he got a lot out of the wicket.

"I'm used to it so I'm not as shocked as everyone else but he's an amazing bowler and he has been for a very long time so we're lucky to have him on our side.

"He senses an opportunity better than anyone and has the skills to back it up.

"We're stoked to have him in Eagle colours."

On a wicket that gave the bowlers plenty of encouragement, Cameron scrapped his way to 25 off 75 balls after Kaiden Withers (23) and Zac Simmonds (12) had got the Eagles off to a steady start.

But with Callum Langlands, the league's top wicket-taker, claiming 5-20, Belvoir looked at least 40 runs short when they lost their last wicket.

However, tight bowling by Simmonds (1-26), Brad Freake (1-12) and Dave Perkins (1-25) allowed Jaensch to let rip, with the Hoppers unable to resist him.

"The difference in the game was that we're used to that wicket and we bowled properly on it from the start," Cameron said.

"It's hard going from batting at Bunton to batting at Kelly Park because the shots you can play at Bunton Park, you can't play them at Kelly Park.

"We caught them out, playing those shots, we turned it into a dogfight and it went our way.

"We dropped three catches when they were nine-fer, which obviously doesn't help. When they got to 90, I turned to Matt and said 'you've got one over, try to get it done for me' and he did."

ALSO IN SPORT

Belvoir had only won two of their previous eight games so there was understandable relief for Cameron when they closed the game out with just 10 runs to spare.

"It was a rollercoaster of emotions," he said.

"When you only set 107, you're a bit down in the dumps. I thought 150 would have been a good score because it was doing a bit.

"They got a couple of fours away on us early but then we pegged it back. We really bowled very tight lines and knowing it was doing a bit, we kept at it really well and it ended up favouring us.

"It doesn't just happen on the back of Matt because if you've got someone bowling trash from the other end, you can't build pressure.

"We did it through good partnership bowling."

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