By Justin Flynn
Drysdale has virtually assured itself of playing finals cricket this season with a six-wicket win against Barwon Heads.
The clash was the most important in the context of the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association fixture, with the winner likely to make the top four and the loser confined to missing out.
The Heads batted first but could only muster 149 as left-arm seamer Dylan Justice claimed 4/29 and youngster Bailey Sykes showed he belongs at the top level with an impressive 2/24 from 10 overs.
The Hawks never stumbled during their run chase.
David Hambrook contributed 29 at the of the order and gun batsmen Nick Hallam and Jason Mallett then took the game away from the Seagulls.
Hallam made a sparkling 69 while Mallett played an important knock of 56.
The game was called off when Drysdale reached 4/170.
The victory kept Drysdale in fourth on the ladder, with the Hawks now only to miss the finals if they unexpectedly lose to 11th placed Queenscliff and Barwon Heads beats Inverleigh by a significant margin.
