Footscray Edgewater has been left with no choice but to bat into the second day of its clash with Camberwell Magpies when play resumes at the Camberwell Sports Ground on Saturday.
The Bulldogs were blindsided by the conditions, opting to bat on a damp pitch that maintained its moisture under overcast skies.
Bulldogs coach Steve Chapman was proud of the grit and determination shown by his batsmen to compile 7-230 on a rain-interrupted first day, but he says there’s still work to be done.
“It was a tough day, but I was impressed with the way we applied ourselves,” he said.
“It was a day that needed a lot of patience and a lot of skill.
“On any given day, I wouldn’t be encouraging our side to bat on for a second day, but the way this panned out we’ll obviously need to use some of those overs next week.”
First drop Travis Dean almost made it back-to-back tons, but fell short on 95.
His steely resolve to bat for 277 minutes and face 231 balls was in contrast to his free-flowing innings of a week earlier.
“Last week, he was fluent and finding the gaps, while this week he was tough and hit a lot of good ball for no runs,” Chapman said.
Dean Russ contributed 49 from an opening spot and Sunam Gautam added 30 from the middle order.
Russ topped a solid week at the crease after top-scoring with 88 for Victoria in a Futures League game.
A call-up to the Victorian Bushrangers squad for the Sheffield Shield may be on the horizon.
“We would like to think he’s presenting a good case all the time,” Chapman said.
As the captain, Russ’s value to the Bulldogs is more than just a matter of runs and averages – it is weighed in leadership qualities and selfless attitude.
Chapman said it was his role to “have the back” of Russ so he could play a bit more selfishly and try to take that next step into first-class cricket.
“He’s been head and shoulders leading the way,” Chapman said.
“But I said to him at Christmas, ‘Just do some stuff for yourself, rather than worrying about everybody around you’.
“I just want him to make some selfish runs – he’s had everyone’s back in the team this year.”
After the Bushrangers slumped to a record low 6-9 in a recent clash with New South Wales, perhaps the Bushrangers could use a steady hand such as Russ at the top of the batting order.
