The Bushrangers had managed to bowl the Wanderers out on day one at Benalla Gardens Oval, but not before the visitors had amassed a mammoth 271 runs, with Brayden Stepien and James Carboon getting the chase underway in the final over of play.
They survived that over without loss and resumed at 0-5 at the weekend, but it wouldn’t be long before Stepien was taking his pads off, dismissed for eight to leave the Bushrangers one down for 17.
Ross Cavill (22) joined Carboon (16) at the crease, and the pair got the scoreboard ticking over, adding 26 runs in tandem before they both fell at the hands of Matthew Ryan in quick succession, as did Charlie Bull, who added four before being sent packing as Benalla slumped to 4-53.
With the Bushrangers in disarray, young gun Lucas Ham stood up and provided a patient, classy innings, first working with Jonty Priest (12) to add 49 runs for the fifth wicket before Priest’s departure, before kicking on to add another 38 in partnership with Dale Stratton for the sixth wicket.
Facing 107 deliveries – 44 more than the second-most faced by a Bushranger at the weekend – Ham hit six boundaries and raised the bat for his first half-century, a much-needed 52 runs in the middle order.
Ham was bowled after reaching the milestone, however, as Benalla fell to 6-140, which was soon 8-143 as Stratton (10) and Gary Priest (2) followed.
Mitchell Wheelens and Conor Brodie both chipped in with unbeaten scores of 20 each, the Bushies ran out of overs, reaching 9-189, still 82 runs short of Beechworth’s mammoth total.
Having won just the one game for the season, Benalla’s A-grade campaign comes to a close, with Rovers United Bruck, Yarrawonga Mulwala, Wangaratta and Beechworth set to contest the finals series from next week.
The Game
Beechworth 10-271 (B Surrey 93, J Ryan 83, R Cavill 4-68) def Benalla 9-189 (L Ham 52, R Cavill 22, M Ryan 4-34)
