Sleepy Dogs wake up

THE Bankstown Sports Bulldogs continued their wonderful season with a decisive victory over the Northern District Rangers at Memorial Oval on Saturday.
Bankstown batted first and it was a diabolical start to the day, although Nick Carruthers posted 22. The four inform top-order batsmen, who are enjoying such a successful season, were all back in the pavilion early and the Bulldogs were certainly not barking as they slumped to 4-46.
As cricket often goes, there was an amazing turnaround, courtesy of Mitch Brown and Daniel Nicotra who celebrated a massive partnership of 142. Brown’s rescue mission took two hours and he rattled the pickets regularly with some superb strokeplay in his 59.
However the top score went to Nicotra who has had a magnificent season and carried all before him.
The Rangers could not contain the classy run-getter as he hammered a defiant 83 which really got the Bulldogs barking, droving and square cutting vociferously with great precision and the crowd roared its approval as he plundered four towering sixes which soared high out over the pickets.
Bankstown finished with 9-218 from their 50 overs. With the Bulldogs’ attack being in outstanding form, they were quietly confident they had enough runs on the board.
Ben Le Bas controlled the ball with great accuracy and claimed 2-33 from his 10 overs. Fellow spinner Ben Taylor was also very difficult to get away and kept the Rangers guessing with 3-24. Nicotra  completed a very good day with 1-14 to wind up the innings as the visitors capitulated for 142. The fielding was good with Taylor and Nicotra accepting a caught and bowled apiece.
Carruthers and Brown both orchestrated run outs which continued to apply plenty of pressure to the Rangers.
Next weekend the Bulldogs take on the Sydney Tigers with the game starting on Saturday and Sunday at Bankstown Memorial Oval at 10.30am.