Brad Robertson was sensational for Footscray Edgewater on Saturday with three wickets. 73332 Picture: DAMIAN VISENTINI
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
A SUPERB display of swing bowling from Tallan Wright helped Footscray Edgewater claim its fifth win of the District cricket season against St Kilda on Saturday.
Defending 191, the Bulldogs toppled St Kilda for 129, with Wright’s five-wicket haul a highlight.
Brad Robertson also took advantage of the overcast conditions and was rewarded for his remarkably consistent ability to move the ball with three wickets.
Wright’s second wicket was Footscray Edgewater’s most crucial. He clean bowled middle-order batsman Graeme Rummans for 51, just as St Kilda seemed to have the edge. The next five wickets fell for just 24 runs.
“He bowled a terrific line and length, and was bowling into a slight breeze,” Bulldogs coach Barry Neivandt said.
“The conditions suited him perfectly for a slow medium, and he spotted the conditions beautifully.”
“It wasn’t the traditional road that St Kilda have, there was a little bit in it, but it was also overcast, which it assisted swing bowling.”
Footscray Edgewater captain Travis Gloury said Wright’s success could be partly attributed to fellow bowlers Robertson, Andrew McCammond (1 wicket) and Matthew Livingstone (1), whose tight bowling stifled St Kilda’s batsmen.
Tallan was the one to get the rewards but you also have to give credit to the other guys for the way they bowled in partnership and kept building the pressure,” he said. “To be able to defend 191 – they were 2/50 overnight – probably in the back of our mind we were thinking we were up against it and they were in the box seat, but we knew if we just persisted with bowing to our areas, and we didn’t set fields that were too attacking and made them work hard for every run, we were going to give ourselves every chance.”
The conditions were similar the week before, and were best handled by Travis Dean, who top-scored for Footscray Edgewater with 61.
“His runs were fantastic in the context of the game, and when the ball was moving around he batted really well. It was a great knock,” Neivandt said.
Opener Dean Russ hit 39 in the first innings, and boosted his average with a 26 not out before the second day’s play ended on Saturday.
Wright’s first innings score of 25, combined with his bowling spell, made him a clear man-of-the-match selection.
Gloury said he thought his side’s bowlers exploited the swing-friendly conditions better than St Kilda’s.
“I just felt that the boys probably persisted for a bit longer, and got more balls in the right areas.
We bowled 21 overs on the first day, and you would have thought the pitch was an absolute minefield.”
Footscray Edgewater sits 10th on the ladder and will take on second-placed Prahran at home in a two-dayer on Saturday.
