Premier Cricket 2018-19: St Kilda takes day one honours over Fitzroy Doncaster
Fitzroy Doncaster is at risk of falling out of the Premier Cricket top four for the first time this season after its top-order failed to fire against St Kilda.
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Fitzroy Doncaster is at risk of falling out of the Premier Cricket top four for the first time this season after its top-order failed to fire against St Kilda on Saturday.
The Lions were reduced to 5-71 before being bowled out for 180 in the Round 15 fixture at Schramms Reserve.
It was the third time in four games the Lions have lost their first six wickets for less than 140.
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Saints openers Josh Manning and Daniel Meddings negotiated 14 overs at the end of the day to reach 0-25 to leave the Saints in an excellent position, needing just another 156 runs for victory.
A loss could drop Fitzroy Doncaster from third to fifth, with Dandenong well positioned to take the points against Kingston Hawthorn.
Victory for the Panthers would leapfrog them ahead of the Lions and into the double-chance position, while fourth-placed Geelong is in a dominant position against lowly Frankston Peninsula after the Cats declared at 8-327.
A win for St Kilda would all-but guarantee it a home final.
“Not our best batting performance of the year but I thought the St Kilda bowlers bowled really well,” Fitzroy Doncaster captain Ejaaz Alavi said.
“They were really disciplined and made it tough for us to score and unfortunately wickets came just after we started to build partnerships.”
Fitzroy Doncaster won the toss and chose to bat first but paceman Henry Hall quickly had it under pressure by removing opener Jack Rudd (2) and No. 3 Noah Korkolis (0) in his opening six-over spell to have the Lions 2-3.
After lunch he bowled the always-dangerous Trent Lawford (25) and then broke an innings-best partnership of 52 between Alavi and Liam Banthorpe (52 not out) when he had the Lions skipper caught behind for 30, finishing with 4-44 from 17 overs.
Shea Gribbin captured 3-27 off 17 overs, Josh Bartlett (1-34 off 14) claimed the coveted wicket of Lions champion Peter Dickson (8), and Jon Merlo (1-18 off nine) nabbed Lions No. 4 Nat Vardi for 30.
Alavi said his side needed to be disciplined with the ball if it wanted to post its 10th win of the season and secure a top-four finish.
Under the new finals format, the top four sides get a double-chance.
“We know we believe we’re well and truly in this game and we can take 10 wickets,” Alavi said.
“We’ve done it before so we’ll still back ourselves in to win this game because there is a lot of cricket still to be played.”
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