Premier Cricket: Matt Doric takes 11 wickets in Essendon outright win
ESSENDON rocketed to second on the Premier Cricket ladder with a Matt Doric-inspired outright victory over Kingston Hawthorn on Saturday.
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ESSENDON rocketed to second on the Premier Cricket ladder with a Matt Doric-inspired outright victory over Kingston Hawthorn on Saturday.
Led by Doric’s match haul of 11-113, the Bombers claimed the first outright win of the First XI season to jump from eighth into the top two after five rounds.
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Essendon declared at 7-254 with a lead of 50 runs after Isaac Willett (63) and Connor Rutland (43) guided their side to first-innings points.
Maximum points appeared a long shot when the Hawks raced to 1-78 in reply after opener Ramneet Dhindsa (72) launched into the Bombers’ bowling attack.
But when Nishal Perera held on to a sharp chance to remove Dhindsa on the first ball after tea, it sparked a collapse of 8-58 and Kingston Hawthorn was dismissed for 156 in its second innings.
Paceman Doric carved through the Hawks’ line-up, snaring 7-47 from 10.3 overs and securing the maiden 10-wicket match of his Premier career.
“There’s no better feeling than that,” Doric said.
“You know if you put it in the right area, you’re probably going to get a wicket.
“I sort of knew when I was going to get a wicket. But they missed a couple of straight ones, so I can’t say it was all my bowling.”
With 23 overs left until stumps, James Seymour made Essendon’s intentions known when he smacked the first ball of its second innings for six.
The Bombers went at almost a run-a-ball in their chase, reeling in the target of 107 in 18 overs with Aaron Ayre unbeaten on 56 and Willett 20 not out.
“Aaron Ayre is in awesome form at the moment, just churning out the runs,” Doric said.
“We knew they’d get us off to a good start and then it was pretty easy from there, going about three an over the last six or seven overs.”
Doric praised the maturity shown by Willett, who guided Essendon home after it had been 5-169 in its first innings.
“He’s matured a fair bit over the last year and he was able to hit over the top, then hit some singles,” he said.
“He was very smart and patient. He backed it up with 20-odd in the second innings as well.”
The Bombers take on Geelong in Round 6.
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