Bacchus Marsh pair James Lidgett and Alex Porter break club, league records

Bacchus Marsh pair James Lidgett and Alex Porter etched their names into the record books on Saturday with an epic opening stand against Diggers Rest Bulla.

James Lidgett in action for Bacchus Marsh. Picture: Supplied

A record-breaking opening stand between James Lidgett and Alex Porter ensured Bacchus Marsh crushed Diggers Rest Bulla by 70 runs on Saturday.

After winning the toss and batting at Diggers Rest Reserve, the pair piled on 248 to smash a 40-year-old club record previously held by Tony Kight and Mick Porter.

The first-wicket partnership could also be a McIntyre Shield record ahead of Josh Eastley and Michael Nalesnyik’s 228 for Woodend in 2018-19.

Porter fell for 109 as he tried to increase the run-rate in the final overs, while Lidgett was unbeaten on 135 as the Bulls compiled 1-264.

“It was a special partnership between Ports and I,” Bacchus Marsh captain-coach Lidgett said.

“We get along with each other really well, bounce ideas of each other out in the middle, and it was good to get a big partnership with him.

“We overtook a couple of club legend and it was good to see Tony Kight back at the club afterwards to congratulate us.

“Ports was doing the team thing at the end, so I couldn’t have asked for too much more. It was really special.”

The 109-ball ton was last season’s McIntyre Cup top run-scorer Lidgett’s sixth century for Bacchus Marsh and seventh for Porter.

In response, Diggers Rest Bulla got off to a horrible start, falling to 4-26 as Rhys Watson (3-20) ripped through the top order.

Warren Berry steadied the ship with an impressive 58 with support from Lincoln Grant (31) and Andrew Knight (30) as the home team finished 9-194 from their 40 overs.

The victory keeps Bacchus Marsh in second on the ladder, ahead of Romsey on run-rate, and just three points behind Sunbury United, which suffered its first defeat of the season on Saturday against Gisborne.

Lidgett is confident the club is hitting its straps at the right time of the season.

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“Absolutely, we’re second now and hitting a good bit of form with bat and ball,” he said.

“Hopefully we can keep that going through the back end of the season and into finals.

“You never take any games for granted, we try and play in the same fashion no matter who we’re playing against and that will hold us in good stead.”

The Bulls host fifth-placed East Sunbury on Saturday fresh off the bye, while Diggers Rest Bulla will look to bounce back at home against Romsey.