Tara Murray
Footscray United’s first loss of the Victorian Turf District Cricket Association division 2 season will drive the side for the rest of the year.
Losses have been few and far between for the side in the past two seasons, but on Saturday they were on the wrong side of the scorecard against West Newport.
Bulldogs captain-coach Shafraz Mohamed said while it was disappointing to lose the match, they would take a lot of positives out of it.
“It was our first loss in about a year,” he said. “It’s good to drop a game now, then have it happen in the semi finals.
“It will fire us up, it’s for our own good. The conditions were against us and we didn’t play well, but we only lost by 18 runs.”
West Newport made 186 on day one of the match, with Ashen Abeykoon the pick of the bowlers for the Bulldogs.
Mohamed said it was a run total that was really gettable and they had backed themselves in to get the runs.
“We copped an ordinary pitch, it was different from last week,” he said. “We still only lost by 18 runs.”
The Bulldogs were bowled out for 168 in the 52nd over. Abeykoon top scored with 78
The win was enough to ensure West Newport will play finals. It’s likely it will have to play Footscray United in the semi finals.
Despite the result, the Bulldogs will finish on top of the ladder no matter the result in the final round.
Mohamed said they couldn’t have asked for much more coming up from division 3 this season.
“It’s been an amazing season and all the boys are up and about,” he said.
“We’ve been playing together for about two and half years now. Everyone knows each other’s game and the longer we play together as a team the better you get.
“I don’t think we’ve played 100 per cent capacity, hopefully we try and bring that out in finals and hopefully go back-to-back.”
The Bulldogs finish the regular season against bottom side Kingsville. Mohamed said ideally they would have liked to be playing a stronger team in the lead up to finals.
Altona Roosters will also play finals.
The Rooster beat Keilor Park on Saturday. Chasing 175, the Roosters finished 9-181 in reply
Williamstown CYMS got the points against Newport-Digman.
Defending 200, the CYs bowled Newport-Digman out for 147.
Kingsville lost to Royal Park-Brunswick. Kingsville had been bowled out for 149 with Royal Park finishing 4-154 in reply.
In senior division, the Druids kept their finals hopes alive with a win against Sunshine United.
Having made 9-279, the Wizards bowled the Tigers out for 224.
The Wizards sit in sixth spot, a game outside the top four.
Yarraville Club made light work for Craigieburn, finishing 4-165 in reply to the Eagles 164.
Yarraville Club sits in third spot.
