By LIAM TWOMEY
A DISASTROUS batting performance from Footscray Edgewater cost the Bulldogs any chance of victory against Geelong in Premier Cricket on Saturday.
After winning the toss and batting on Mervyn Hughes Oval, Footscray was under constant pressure from the word go with Dean Russ bowled by Geelong’s Jake Haberfield for just four runs.
He was soon to be followed by opening partner Wes Robinson who was given out LBW with the score on 11.
There was no letting up from the Geelong bowlers who continued to heave the pressure on to the Bulldogs’ batsmen.
Ben Green and Dylan Kight both found themselves back in the pavilion without scoring as the score slipped to 4/16.
Playing his first match for Footscray for the season, Arun Harinath looked the most comfortable with the bat in hand, fighting his way to 16 runs from 54 balls to provide the only form of resistance from the middle order.
The wickets of Travis Dean (9), Michael Hill (4) and Tallan Wright (1) only further added to Footscray’s misery as the Bulldogs were bowled out for 72 in the 24th over.
Only Harinath and Guy Walker (10) were able to make double figures with the bat.
The Geelong bowlers finished with an even spread of wickets with Haberfield, Marc Carson and Jake Reed all taking three.
With only a small total to defend, the Bulldogs were always going to be under pressure with the ball and were in desperate need of early wickets.
Opening bowlers Walker and Lucas Dredge heeded the call as Geelong slipped to 2/19 early in the run chase.
However, there would be no miracle victory from Footscray with the remaining runs easily chased down in the 19th over for the loss of just five wickets.
Geelong captain Thomas Elliot was the innings top scorer with 18.
Wright finished with the best bowling figures for Footscray, taking 2/15 from his four overs while Green chipped in with one wicket.
The defeat leaves Footscray in 13th place on the Premier Cricket ladder with six wins for the season and 10 points behind eighth placed Melbourne Uni.
This week will see a return to two-day cricket with the Bulldogs hitting the road to take on third placed Ringwood.
Also in round 15 action, former Hoppers Crossing leg spinner Fawad Ahmed returned from his Big Bash debut to take three wickets and score an important half-century to guide Melbourne Uni to victory against Ringwood.
Ahmed has taken 26 wickets for the season.
