By Lance Jenkinson
Footscray’s inability to bat around century-maker Daniel Sartori stuck out like a sore thumb in Saturday’s five-wicket road loss to top-of-the-ladder Melbourne University.
The Bulldogs’ top order produced a lamentable performance with six of the top seven out for single figure scores.
Sartori was the exception, making a majestic 122 off 135 balls, to keep the Bulldogs, bowled out for 213, in the contest.
“You just have to take one look at the scorecard and it stands out,” Bulldogs captain Dylan Kight said. “Sarts was amazing again, that’s two [centuries] in three weeks for him.
“He’s absolutely flying. “Today there was no one around him who provided good support until Hamish [Winter-Irving] at the back end of the innings.”
Sartori, a former Melbourne and Richmond player, arrived at Footscray in the preseason with big raps on his ability.
In the earlier games, he showed glimpses of what he could be for the Bulldogs, but now he is starting to deliver on his promise.
Almost from the word go against Melbourne University, Sartori was nigh on unstoppable as he registered his second century in three games to go with his two half centuries earlier in the summer.
“The second ball he faced, he hit it through the covers for four,” Kight said.
“It just got him going straight away.
“The whole time he was batting, it looked like a different wicket from everyone he was batting with.
PHOTO GALLERY: Melbourne University vs Footscray
“There was constant wickets falling around him, but he just stuck to his game plan and stuck to the same tempo the whole innings.
“He was going at a run a ball pretty much the whole time.
“Any time it was full and they gave him width, he would punish them.”
After the top order failures, at least Winter-Irving was willing to fight it out.
The bowling all-rounder made 27 off 48 balls. Siddhesh Dixit chipped in with 12 to take the Bulldogs score to over 200.
It was not enough for Footscray against an in-form Melbourne University.
The Students passed the target five down with two overs to spare. Andrew Young was the match-winner for the Students with 88 not out.
“He took his time at the start and it definitely paid off,” Kight said.
“He lifted his run rate towards the end and got them home pretty comfortably really.”
The Bulldogs feel most comfortable in the longer red ball format, which is all they will have to play from here on end.
With games against Melbourne, starting on Saturday at the Merv Hughes Oval, Ringwood, Fitzroy-Doncaster and Carlton, Footscray will have four games against sides in or around the top eight that will impact their own spot in the top eight.
