FOOTSCRAY Edgewater went down swinging against Fitzroy Doncaster in Victorian Premier Cricket at Merv Hughes Oval on Saturday.
After posting 181 on day one, the Bulldogs were hell-bent on making the Lions earn every run in their chase, and they stuck true to their word.
Hamish Winter-Irving was outstanding with 4-29 off 18 overs, including 10 maidens.
But even his stunning performance couldn’t prevent the Lions passing the total six down with Tim Sheahan (74 not out) and Peter Dickson (49) guiding the visitors home.
The Bulldogs, out of the finals picture, can play a role in shaping the top eight when they visit Richmond at Central Reserve for a two-day game starting on Saturday.
In the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division, second-placed Yarraville Club (281) is locked in a duel with South Caulfield (0-31) after the first day at Hansen Reserve.
The Clubbers are just 0.41 points behind top-of-the ladder Greenvale and could have a chance to move into first place, depending on the result of the Vales clash with Keilor.
A rampaging Altona North firmed for a top-two finish in the north division, taking first innings points over Keilor Park at Crofts Reserve.
In the Williamstown and District Cricket Association A1 turf, Williamstown Imperials wrapped up first innings points over cellar dweller Gellibrand and will now go in search of an outright result, which could land them in top spot on the table.
PREMIER CRICKET SCOREBOARD:
Firsts: Footscray Edgewater 181 (D Kight 41 D Russ 28 B Green 27 J Fagg 5-39 PJ Dickson 2-23) lt Fitzroy Doncaster 182 (TV Sheehan 74no PJ Dickson 49 H Winter-Irving 4-29)
Seconds: Fitzroy Doncaster 173 (D Motschall 60 L Banthorpe 35 AW McCammond 7-49) lt Footscray Edgewater 8-236 (M Hill 54 M Winter-Irving 54 M Gudde 31)
Thirds: Footscray Edgewater 9-207 (M Freeman 112no T Mahoney 26 Z Parr 5-53 A McCormack 4-44) drew Fitzroy Doncaster 272 (T McGurgan 93 J Ellis 44 S Kudage-Don 38 S Hollins 5-32 J King 2-22 M Livingstone 2-56)
Fourths: Fitzroy Doncaster 9-200dec (NW Taylor 77no JC Hayes 64 M Kip 5-30) v Footscray Edgewater 275 (L King 112 H Ali 32 J Koch 31 D Vipond 30 H Qureshi 29no J White 4-32 C De Bono 2-42)
Victorian Turf Cricket Association
Senior division: Bentleigh 9-257dec (D Clarke 62 J Robertson 60 A Ryan 42 C Seisun 27no M Leddin 4-64 T Johnstone 2-41 A Dickinson 2-61) v Spotswood 0-6; Yarraville Club 281 (A Cristofaro 71 J Baker 55 A Contessa 40 A Cullen 36 J Clarke 3-57 S Perera 3-61) v South Caulfield 0-31
North division: Altona North 2-126 v Keilor Park 99; Laverton 118 (AC Williamson 29 B Sheean 25 B Parchment 4-41 N Gamage Jayasundara 3-20 B Tankard 2-32) v Doutta Stars 8-113 (N Gamage Jayasundara 37 BN McFarlane 26 M Keenan 4-47); Footscray United 164 (S McKay 40 DC Silva 30 T Jeffrey 26) v Tullamarine 1-32; Strathmore 7-209 (SA Sanders 110 L Kennedy 38 A Walshe 3-52 A Leetet 2-47) v Williamstown CYMS 100 (J Bassi 4-32 N Pantland 3-26)
North A1: St Albans 0-47 v Seddon 172 (A Sandaruwan 55 TJ Grant 45 DC Udugamasooriya 41no A Pizaro 6-38 SM Jones 4-36); Sunshine United 2-39 (L Lewis 2-14) v Altona Roosters 169 (D Pham 45no A Peters 33)
West B1: Footscray ANA 273 (SA Kukucka 133 J Wills 50) v St Andrews; Sunshine YCW 0-18 v Barkly Street Uniting 178 (L Danaher 44 J Tran 41 M Williams 3-15 D Grainger 3-36)
Williamstown and District Cricket Association
A1 turf: Grand United v West Newport 9-260 (P Lee 2-38 J Preston 2-42 M Abbas 2-49); Gellibrand 101 (M Craig 7-20 J Haines 2-26) and 1-36 v Williamstown Imperials 5-167dec (R Hinton 74 J Haines 38 D Slattery 33); Melton South 6-93 (T Sangha 3-25) v Williamstown Colts 109 (M Darmanin 31no R Harb 25); Wyndhamvale 380 (L Macdougall 141 A Ford 49 A Moscatiello 41 A Mundey 35 J Roze 25) v Newport-Digman
B1 turf: Deer Park Ardeer v St. Johns 9-239; West Newport 183 v Williamstown Congs 4-69
