BEECHWORTH sit in pole position to secure third sport going into finals after amassing 271 against Benalla Bushrangers at the Gardens Oval. After a shaky start, the Wanderers found a massive partnership in Brenton Surrey (93 off 158) and Jack Ryan (82 off 91) to set up the total with cream added towards the end with sprightly cameos from Campbell Fendyk (28 off 25) and Matt Ryan (20 off 29). Benalla will resume at 0/5 after surviving a single over before stumps with their main motivation an upset win to add some light to an otherwise bleak season. Wanderers skipper Brenton Surrey has played enough cricket to know the game's not over until the last wicket falls or the umps take the bails, and the Bushrangers have showed enough glimpses of their potential to prove they are still a challenge. "I was pretty happy with our total at the Gardens, it was probably worth 50 or 60 more if it had been at Beechworth," Surrey said. "Full credit to Benalla, they have some good kids who have a red hot go and I reckon they'll look back on the season and think they could probably have won two or three more games than they did." He said the side's fate was in the hands of his bowlers and they will have to be at their optimum to get the coveted third position sewn up. "The key is definitely our bowlers, they'll not only have to bowl well but the fielders will have to back them up to their best as well," Surrey said. "Brayden Stepien is a major threat. "If he gets away from us there's every chance they'll be 200 at tea and it's anybody's game." C grade play Yarrawonga Mulwala at Stanley in the last game of the season while B grade missed out on finals so their season has come to an end.
