Footscray Edgewater snapped a three-match losing streak with a 56-run mauling of Fitzroy-Doncaster in a Victorian Premier Cricket Twenty20 contest at Merv Hughes Oval on Sunday.
The Bulldogs were desperate to atone for their loss to Melbourne University 24 hours earlier, and the recoil was certainly felt by the
Lions.
The Dogs’ batsmen enjoyed the releasing of shackles that comes in cricket’s free-wheeling shortest format and stood up to make 4-138 from their 20 overs.
Travis Dean’s wonderful summer continued with 51 not out off 44 balls. He had made a half-century a day earlier and has amassed 606 runs at 75 this summer – good enough for the best aggregate in the competition.
James Crosthwaite made a quickfire 22 off nine balls, while Dylan Kight (21), Hamish Winter-Irving (18), Dean Russ (13) and Anthony Barton (13no) made meaningful contributions.
Fitzroy-Doncaster’s run chase progress was brought to a halt when they lost three wickets with the score on 30.
The Bulldogs seized control of the game from that point and held the visitors to 9-82 from their 20 overs.
Michael Nalesnyik (2-9), Winter-Irving (2-15) and Michael Kelly (2-18) did the damage with the ball for the Dogs.
The Bulldogs, last season’s premiers, are still on the finals outer, sitting in 10th spot.
They have decreased the gap to a finals berth to just three points after their win on Sunday.
Next up for the Dogs are the struggling Greenvale Kangaroos in a two-dayer on the road at Greenvale Reserve, starting Saturday.
