Bulldogs Premiership hangover continues after loss to Melbourne University

The premiership hangover continues for Footscray-Edgewater following their loss to Melbourne-Uni in their round thirteen one-dayer of the Bartercard Victorian Premier League season. The Bulldogs did well to hold the Students to 4-233 on a flat wicket and despite another half-century by Travis Dean and some lusty hitting from keeper Dylan Kight, 66 from 64 balls (7 boundaries, one six) they fell short of the total by 18 runs, dismissed for 215 in the final over.

Students skipper, Mark Simpson, won the toss and elected to bat first at University Main Oval in fine conditions with a reasonable breeze blowing towards the clubroom end. They began well hovering around the four-an-over mark after twenty overs with the loss of only openers William Shute, 20, and Daniel Hutton, 26.

 Ben Fletcher and Simpson were at the crease and the pair batted superbly, combining in an entertaining 139-run partnership, taking the score from 59 to 198 before Simpson was run out by paceman Hamish Winter-Irving off his own bowling. Fletcher followed next ball, bowled by Winter-Irving, his 80 coming from 119 balls with four boundaries and three sixes.

 Antony Keely and Jarrod Martignago added a further 35 to see the Students reach 232. Winter-Irving finished with 2-29 from his ten overs while spinner Michael Kelly was frugal with 1-15 off ten.

The Dogs lost James Crosthwaite cheaply for seven when the score was nine before fellow opener and captain Dean Russ combined with Travis Dean for a 75-run partnership. Both were looking good, however it wasn't to last. Russ fell to spinner James Bett and then Fawad Ahmed (above) stamped his influence on the game with a fine spell of 2-18 off his ten overs.

 He caught and bowled danger man Dean when the score was 98 before having Anthony Barton caught behind when the score was 102. Barton was unhappy with the decision as he trudged from the ground and all of a sudden the reigning premiers were in trouble.

 Winter-Irving and keeper Kight added a swashbuckling 44 before Aaron Boyle clean bowled Winter-Irving for 22 and the Dogs were 5-146. Kight was joined by Benjamin Green and they carved out another 46 to take the score to 192 when again Boyle was on target bowling Green.

 The Dogs were running out of overs as well as wickets and when Kight, 66, was run out with the score on 209 the students could rejoice. Paceman Mark Stafford cleaned up the tail to finish with 3-38 from 7.5 overs while Ahmed, who tied down the Bulldogs batsmen earlier, and Boyle, although expensive, both finished with two wickets each.

 After the completion of round 14 T20 games the following day, both sides are now just out of the top eight. The competition returns to the two-day format next round where Melbourne-University will face Melbourne at home while Footscray-Edgewater is away to the Greenvale Kangaroos.

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