By LIAM TWOMEY
A CLINICAL Footscray Edgewater has moved into the second round of the Victorian Premier Cricket finals series after smashing Carlton.
The Bulldogs continued their good form from the home-and-away season, dominating both days of the match to seal the 144-run win.
After losing the toss, Footscray was sent in to bat by Carlton at Mervyn Hughes Oval on day one.
The decision paid almost immediate dividends with Bulldogs opener Anthony Barton dismissed for three while the in-form Travis Dean was also back in the sheds for two.
With the score at 2/18, Dean Russ was joined at the crease by Dylan Kight and the pair set about steadying the innings.
Kight and Russ added 82 before the latter was dismissed for 61.
The wicket did nothing to unsettle Kight, who ensured the Bulldogs would post a strong total.
He combined for another vital partnership with Sunam Gautam and the scoreboard continued to tick over, passing the 150 mark.
Kight was eventually dismissed for a classy 66, the top score of the Footscray innings.
There was no letting up from the Footscray lower order as the total continued to rise. Gautam (41), Guy Walker (10), Jake Haberfield (17), Hamish Winter-Irving (21) and Lucas Dredge (10) all did their bit to lift the score to 9/252 after 100 overs.
Thomas Smyth was the pick of the bowlers for Carlton, taking 4/82 while Ryan Sidebottom was also solid with 2/56.
After their batsmen dominated day one, it was the Footscray bowlers’ turn to take centre stage on day two.
They were led by the always dangerous Jake Haberfield who was nothing short of outstanding.
Haberfield crushed the Carlton batting line-up, taking a stunning seven wickets for just 25 runs.
The gun quick removed seven of Carlton’s top nine batsmen in what was his second seven-wicket haul of the season.
With only three of the Blues’ batsmen making it to double figures, the target of 253 was never in danger as Footscray cruised to the victory.
In other Premier Cricket finals results, St Kilda defeated Prahran, Essendon beat Ringwood while Geelong progressed to the next round after drawing with Melbourne.
