By Lance Jenkinson
A top two berth is within arm’s reach for Footscray in the Victorian Premier Cricket.
The Bulldogs require only a further three Carlton wickets to lock up an all-important top-two spot, a home final and finals double chance.
While his Bulldogs side appears to be in the box seat, captain Dylan Kight is not counting his chickens before they hatch.
After setting a modest 161, Footscray has Carlton in all sorts of trouble on 7-93. But Kight has played at Princes Park enough times to know that runs can come quickly at the venue.
“The first hour on Saturday is probably going to determine the game,” he said.
“Runs can happen pretty fast on that ground and the two blokes in at the moment are pretty experienced players and both have made runs in their time. “We aren’t expecting it to be anything but tough on the weekend.”
Seventeen wickets fell on what Kight described as a “strange” day one.
There were plenty of starts for batsmen of both teams, but no big individual scores.
Siddhesh Dixit’s 36 late in the Footscray innings could prove the difference in the game.
“It was one of those wickets where you never felt like you were really in,” Kight said.
“The scorecard reads true to that with a lot of our guys getting some small starts and not able to push on.
“Sid was very good for us though.” The chance to bowl 32 overs late in the day was handy for Footscray, reaping seven crucial wickets.
Jordan Buckingham was the star for the Bulldogs with 3-35 off 13 overs.
Dubbed “one of the hardest trainers at the club” by Kight, Buckingham’s hard work is paying off with a breakout season.
“He’s still growing and getting stronger, getting better and faster.
“He’s been in some good contests with some of the best batsmen in Premier Cricket and also some first class cricketers and come out on top.
“He’s found his feet, definitely.”
