Premier Cricket 2018-19: Footscray pays price for loose bowling

A sloppy start with the ball cost Footscray in its Premier Cricket one-day fixture against Essendon on Saturday in another blow to the club’s finals hopes.

Matthew Underwood goes on the attack for Footscray. Picture: Rob Leeson

A sloppy start with the ball cost Footscray in its Premier Cricket one-day fixture against Essendon on Saturday in another blow to the club’s finals hopes.

With the match reduced to 42 overs per side because of a wet wicket at Windy Hill, the visitors were left satisfied with their batting performance after posting 6-193 on the back of a superb 85 from the ever-consistent Dean Russ.

Dean Russ was in the runs again for Footscray. Picture: Rob Leeson

But the Bombers then raced to 0-50 off seven overs and, while the Dogs had moments where they threatened, the home side’s flying start ultimately decided the contest.

“We had probably the worst of the conditions by a long way, just losing the toss and being sent in with the match being reduced with the wicket being a bit wet,” Footscray skipper Dylan Kight said.

“We were really happy with our batting performance.

“I think the only thing that really cost us was our start with the ball. They got away.

“From there we were playing catch up and couldn’t quite peg them back.”

Essendon sealed victory with three overs to spare, with Aaron Ayre’s 52 and Aaron Shellie’s rapid 41 from 28 balls steering it to 6-197.

The Dogs had an opening when Ayre departed at 4-146 but were unable to halt the scoring.

Kight paid tribute to the Bombers’ batting display given the pitch “didn’t really flatten out”.

Young Footscray spinner Siddhesh Dixit backed up a five-wicket haul the previous week with another fine performance, claiming 2-31 from nine overs.

“The wicket really suited him, obviously being sticky,” Kight said.

“He could just bowl real fast into the wicket and a few of them took some bite and spun and a few slid on.

“He was always going to be a handful.”

Russ took his season tally to 597 runs at 54.3, highlighted by three tons and two half-centuries, Kight rating the knock “as good as any he’s had this year”.

Kight (33 from 52 balls) combined with Russ to put on 90 for the third wicket.

“Without (Russ), we would’ve been struggling to get close to 150, let alone past 150,” Kight said.

“He’s just riding the wave of form at the moment and when things are going his way he knows how to cash in.”

Footscray sits in 15th spot on the ladder with a 3-2-7 record and will next meet Camberwell Magpies in a two-day clash at Merv Hughes Oval in Round 12.