No happy ending for coach as Cats bats falter
GEELONG couldn’t deliver Damian Shanahan a fairytale finish to his coaching career at the club, going down to Essendon on Saturday.
The Cats never looked likely in their chase of Essendon’s 9-304, bowled out for 157 in their first dig.
Sent back in to bat, Geelong made its way to 6-181 from 50 overs to save an outright loss.
Shanahan, who had two years to run on his contract, announced last week that he was stepping down as Geelong’s head coach because he was burnt out.
It means Geelong finishes the season in 14th spot with six wins from its 17 matches.
The shining light for the season was the performance of its thirds, which finished the season in eighth and will play finals next week.
Essendon speedster and Bushranger Clint McKay den- ted Geelong’s run chase early, claiming two quick wickets to have the Cats at 2-5.
Tom Treble and Hayden Butterworth tried to establish some stability.
Treble fell to make it 3-41, before Butterworth (53) and wicketkeeper Josh McDonald (35) moved the score past 100.
Nishal Perera claimed the wickets of Butterworth and McDonald to again halt any momentum.
Only Justin McPhee offered resistance as Essendon ripped through Geelong, which lost its next five wickets for 47.
Perera and McKay did the damage again in the second innings.
McKay claimed openers Treble and McDonald to again have Geelong at 2-5 before Vines (71 not out) and Butterworth (66) both crafted half centuries.
Geelong was given a few more nervous moments as it slipped to 6-121, but Vines and Harrison were able to bat through the rest of the day.