Returning to their home ground after securing their first top-grade victory in round three, the Eagles faced a daunting task in the form of the Dragons, who proved themselves every bit of the imposing figures they presented as, handing Eastern Hill a nine-wicket defeat after the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method was employed.
It was a tough start to the contest for the Eagles, who were sent in to bat after losing the toss, and missing three of their top four from the previous week’s victory, opened with Billy Cox and Daniel O’Sullivan, the latter promoted to captain in the absence of Seamus Feery.
The pair did well to see off the new ball, lasting 13 overs without loss. However, scoring was tough, and eventually Gisborne broke through, kick-starting a top-order collapse.
O’Sullivan (15) was the first to fall with 35 runs on the board, and just two balls later Cox (9) joined him in the sheds, as the Eagles slumped to 2-36, leaving Brayden Speechley and Harvey Hager to join forces in the middle.
But such were the tough conditions that they managed to add only six runs in four overs before Hager (2) departed, leaving the home side at 3-41, while his replacement, Michael Brown (2), lasted roughly the same, sent packing as the scoreboard read 4-44.
Speechley cut a patient figure up one end as the Dragons’ bowling attack continued to harass, removing Matthew Collard (15) to leave the Eagles five down with the team total at 65, while Tayte Hoefchen’s cameo saw the pair add 30 for the sixth wicket, before he too was dismissed for 15 as Eastern Hill stumbled to 6-95.
Dallas Bergowicz (6) and Ben Brown (2) were the final two casualties as the Eagles limped beyond 100, finally reaching 8-123 courtesy of a gritty knock from Speechley, who finished unbeaten on 39 from 89 deliveries, more than double the number of balls any of his teammates faced.
With a modest total to defend, the Eagles needed a quick start with the ball. And that’s what they got, as Fraser Lewis (1-21) picked up the scalp of Gisborne opener Brenton Cook early to leave the Dragons down 1-19. But the visitors soon took hold of proceedings.
The threat of rain saw overs reduced, with Gisborne’s innings cut to a maximum of 26 overs, and with the DLS system employed, the Dragons were set a target of 91 runs for victory.
Eastern Hill was left to pray for a washout as Gisborne pummelled the ball to all parts, needing only 14 overs to reach the adjusted total for the loss of one wicket, handing the Eagles a punishing nine-wicket defeat in the process.
The loss leaves Eastern Hill in fifth spot at the end of round four. The Eagles will look to bounce back with the first of the two-day clashes starting this weekend, when they will face Macedon at Tony Clarke Recreation Reserve as day one gets under way on Saturday.
