By MICHAEL ESPOSITO
FOOTSCRAY Edgewater has enjoyed a superb weekend of District cricket, defeating Essendon in round six of the normal season on Saturday and overcoming North Melbourne in the Twenty20 competition on Sunday.
The Bulldogs successfully defended a total of 319 in the second day of the two-dayer against Essendon, bowling the Bombers out for 176.
Essendon looked to be heading towards Footsray Edgewater’s sizeable total with opener Ben MacRae (74) and Ben Fletcher (36) producing an 86-run second-wicket partnership.
At 1/137, Essendon was in good shape, but four quick wickets to Footscray Edgewater for an extra 11 runs swung the balance back in the Bulldogs’ favour. Andrew McCammond was brilliant with the ball, claiming the crucial wickets of MacRae and Fletcher and finishing the day with 4/52. McCammond is averaging 16.91 this year. Brad Robertson took two wickets, as did Ben Green, who finished off the tail with the economical figures of 2/1 from 5.5 overs. Footscray Edgewater sits in 10th position with three wins, one draw and two losses, and will take on Ringwood in another two-day game at Merv Hughes Oval this Saturday. Footscray Edgewater won the first Twenty20 match of the season, posting the winning runs with seven balls to spare against North Melbourne.
Former West Indies test batsman Brendan Nash hit 43 for the Kangaroos, before being dismissed by Travis Dean, who was Footscray Edgewater’s only multiple wicket-taker with 2/15 from three overs. Essendon made 124
The Bulldogs started well with Brad Green making a sensational 50 from 43 balls and Dean Russ supporting him with 23 runs. Dean made a handy 25 runs from 17 balls before Dylan Kight, coming off a century in the longer form of the game last week, remained unbeaten on 19 and saw out the game with Tallan Wright (4 not out).
