Cats steady after early setback

GEELONG’S Premier Men split their results in a busy weekend of T20 cricket, recording one win and one loss against Footscray and Essendon.

The Cats opened their Saturday with a morning clash against the Bulldogs, going down by five wickets.

Sent in to bat, Geelong posted 5/168 from their 20 overs, led by an impressive 83 from opener Ashley Armstrong.

Footscray chased down the target with little trouble, with Dylan Knight hitting the winning runs in the 19th over.

Geelong regrouped for their afternoon fixture against Essendon, which ended in much better fashion.

Opting to bowl first, the Cats’ attack shared the wickets evenly to dismiss Essendon for 147.

After taking a wicket in the first innings, skipper Joshua Larkin followed up with an unbeaten 54 to lead his side to victory with six wickets in hand.

The win leaves the Cats with a 5-5 record, with one more match against St Kilda this weekend before the Christmas break.

In the Seconds, Geelong claimed wins in both matches and sits second on the ladder with a 7–2 record.

The Thirds recorded a DLS victory over Footscray after rain intervened, leaving them third on the ladder with one game remaining for the year.

Geelong’s Fourths fell to a 3–4 record after going down to the Bulldogs.