Footscray will need its best effort to halt a two-game losing streak in Victoria Premier Cricket.
The Bulldogs will be chasing 271 for victory against Camberwell when day two of their match resumes on Saturday.
Footscray elected to bowl first at the weekend only to meet stiff opposition from the Magpies.
All five of Camberwell’s top order made at least 20, with Justin Lampard the pick of the batsmen at 56.
While the wickets started to flow later in the day, the Magpies’ total was given a huge boost by a quickfire 70 from lower-order batsman Jack McNamara. It lifted Camberwell to 270 before it was bowled out in the 71st over.
In reply, Footscray is 1-24 with Bulldogs’ captain Dean Russ the man out after making one.
In other Victorian Premier Cricket news, there will be a new club in the league next year after it was announced Dandenong and Hawthorn-Monash University will merge.
Melton has confirmed it will apply for a spot.
Lions’ president Kevin Vernon says his club is interested.
“We have gone through this process in the past when expressions of interest were asked for,” Vernon said.
“Now that the merger between Dandenong and Monash has gone through, obviously a place has become available.
“We will be launching our expression of interest again and we will just go through the process.”
The Lions have been one of the Victorian Sub District Cricket Association’s strongest clubs in recent years. Melton won four out of five first-grade premierships between 2008-09 and 2012-13.
Vernon says the club is a great fit for the Premier Cricket competition, and he’s hoping the Melton council is prepared to help the Lions take the next step.
“We’re a well-established club and have been very successful in sub district,” he said.
“We have a stable administration and a good junior development program.
“At the end of the day, I think it will come down to which council is prepared to invest in getting Premier Cricket to their town.
“I think that is what they [Cricket Victoria] are looking for, really.
“I know the council is keen – how keen, we will just have to wait and see as we go through the process.”
Cricket Victoria’s Premier Cricket strategy and development manager Mike Ronchi said the governing body was now in the process of determining the criteria and timing for a call of expressions of interest from clubs.
“A holistic business case will need to form the foundation of any organisation that wants to pitch to compete in the Premier Cricket competition, with the key areas of facilities, sustainability, community support and committed investment by local government,” Ronchi said.
“CV is not limiting its options and we will be keen to encourage interest from all areas of the Victorian cricketing communities.”
