Footscray Edgewater has built the platform to press for a fifth win in six Premier Cricket starts.
The red-hot Bulldogs got off to a flyer on the road against Prahran at the historically difficult Toorak Park, with Anthony Barton (91) and captain Dean Russ (70) featuring in a 170-run opening partnership.
Even with a rough patch in the middle of the day, when they lost 5-37 in 73 balls, the Bulldogs were still able to attain 308 because of the first-wicket stand.
“I’m disappointed neither of them got a hundred, but in the scheme of things, you’ll take 0-170 when you lose your first wicket every day of the week,” Bulldogs coach Steve Chapman said.
“It was a terrific partnership. Against the new ball, they attacked.
“If you’re prepared to play your shots and you hit good areas, there’s always scope to score quite quickly because there’s usually always a bat pad, a couple of slips, a gully, a man on the drive.
“In the first hour or so, we were almost 100 – it was good to get that sort of momentum.”
The Bulldogs lost in-form Travis Dean and Dylan Kight cheaply, both for nine.
Michael Hill made a quickfire 11 off seven balls and at 5-207 the Bulldogs were at a crossroads and needing a middle order pairing to stand up.
“The first hour after lunch, we kind of lost our way,” Chapman said.
“It sort of put us on the back foot, but we didn’t really feel the weight of it because of the good start.” Sunam Gautam (52) and Guy Walker (26) steadied the ship with a 49-run partnership.
Gautam, a Nepal-born spinning allrounder, was particularly impressive in the way he constructed his innings.
“He was terrific,” Chapman said.
“He played himself in, he left the ball nicely and then he’d hit it in the low-risk areas.
“Once you beat the field today, it really was lightning fast.”
The tail end was held together by Hamish Winter-Irving, who made a patient 14 not out
off 57 balls to send his season’s average up to 44.
The youngster has also impressed with the new ball and his lower-order batting is another string to his bow.
“He was in the middle of a couple of small partnerships at the end that enabled us to get over 300,” Chapman said.
The Bulldogs made the most of the two overs they had to bowl before stumps, claiming a late wicket.
Jake Haberfield delivered the new ball with searing speed.
It was too hot to handle for Prahran opener Nick Morrey, who was out for a duck to his second ball.
It didn’t all go to plan for the Bulldogs, but they can claim first-day honours.
“We worked hard, we fought hard, we showed a bit of resolve,” Chapman said.
