Premier Cricket 2019-20: Footscray ponders tough selection calls
Footscray’s bowlers are fresh from a superb performance against the competition’s reigning premier, leaving the club with some tough decisions for the first week of finals as two key pacemen look to stake their claims for selection.
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Footscray is facing some headaches at the selection table as it ponders changes to a bowling attack fresh from dismantling powerhouse Carlton.
Paceman Hamish Winter-Irving played as a batsman in the club’s Second XI on Saturday and is set to be fit for next weekend’s Premier Cricket qualifying final against Melbourne, while Jonah Koch (hamstring) has also been on the sidelines.
The Dogs completed a 46-run victory over the reigning premier in the final-round of the home-and-away season after the teams took the field at 5.15pm – more than six hours after the scheduled start time – on day two.
Jordan Buckingham (4-47), teenager Max Birthisel (2-26), Siddhesh Dixit (2-32) and Ben Roosenboom (1-7) combined to destroy Carlton, which finished 9-115 (Tom Smyth did not bat) in response to Footscray’s 161.
Coach Allan Wise is expecting some tough conversations this week, with Winter-Irving collecting 14 wickets this season and Koch 13.
“It’s a difficult decision because the incumbents have been doing really well,” Wise said.
“Hopefully Winter-Irving and Koch can stake their claims as well.
“We’re pretty confident with Hamish. Koch has a bit more to do, but hopefully we can get some work into him this week and he’ll be available for selection.”
The Dogs’ batting line-up is also likely to be boosted by Travis Dean given Victoria’s next Sheffield Shield fixture starts March 19.
Dean has been Footscray’s leading batsman in 2019-20, hitting 534 runs at 44.5.
The club enters finals in good shape as it chases its first premiership since 2013-14.
The Dogs have not lost since January 18 – when they went down to minor premier Melbourne University – and enter finals full of confidence.
“This is the time of year you want to be playing good cricket,” Wise said.
“We were a little bit patchy before Christmas, especially early in the season, and we’ve built and obviously had some new personnel.
“I think we’ve got better each game, individual players – especially younger players – have got better and we’ve got better as a team.
“The boys are really confident and really excited for next week, especially after not playing finals last year and finishing down the other end of the ladder.”
Footscray finished in 16th position with just four wins last season, with Wise admitting his team had “probably exceeded expectations”.
“But the way we’ve been playing our cricket in recent times and the improvement in some of our players, it’s not (a surprise),” he said.
“Over the course of the year, you start believing more and more.
“Beating good sides and playing good cricket, you build that confidence.”
The Dogs scored a convincing victory over Melbourne in Round 12, but Wise said he was expecting a different opposition with Demons skipper Cameron White, Chris Tremain and Jackson Coleman not featuring when the pair last met.
“They’re always a challenging opposition, even more so in finals,” he said.
“But we’ve got a really good recent record against them at Footscray as well and, to be fair, everyone jumps out of their skins to play Melbourne in finals.
“You can never worry too much about who you’re playing – you’ve just got to focus on what we do well.
“I think we’ll be a test as well for an opposition.”