SPOTSWOOD was bowled out for 203 on day one of its two-day match against Keilor in round three of the Victorian Turf Cricket Association at Donald McLean Reserve on Saturday.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Woodsmen were in strife at 7/117, but some resistance in their tailenders ensured they reached 200.

In reply, Keilor is 0/1 after two overs.

Spotswood coach Dion Kratz said he thought the score was defendable, when play resumes this Saturday.

“Speaking to the boys after the game, I told them that we bowled really well, and I’m confident about next week,” he said.

“Bowling is our strength, so we’ve got every reason to be confident.”

Spotswood’s young batting list kept this side to the modest total but Kratz was impressed overall.

“We’ve got a couple of kids, so we’re not expecting scores of 300 every week … considering we were 7/125, the tail did really well,” he said.

Kratz was pleased by the efforts of Leddin and Abhijeet Sharma with the bat.

“Matt Leddin hit 80-odd last week, and followed up his good form with 44 this week.

“Sharma, one of our Indian players, batted really well, and was a bit unlucky to get a leading edge on 36.”

But it was the tailender partnership between Ash Robertson and Craig Butterfield that steered the Woodsmen to their decent 203.

“Those two put on 40-odd, and although it was a bit dicey at the start (of our innings), we are confident about next week.”

Keilor coach Matt Willmott said it was a real team effort from his charges, with the bowlers sharing the wickets on the day.

James McKay picked up three scalps, while Lee Just, Jody Hutchinson and Shane Gordon all finished the day with two wickets apiece.

“It was not a bad effort from our boys, it would have been nice to get them a bit cheaper,” he said.

“We bowled well a bit before and after tea, but their last couple of pairs batted quite well at the end.

“We didn’t actually bowl that bad (to the tailenders), so credit to them (Spotswood).”

Willmott said despite having Spotswood on the ropes at 7/125, it was a sufficient, and potentially match-winning, effort to bowl the notoriously tough side out.

Their efforts made the Keilor bowlers the first side to bowl out Spotswood this season, after the Woodsmen dropped only seven wickets across their opening two matches.

The match will resume at 1pm on Saturday.