Essendon footballers scored a resounding win over the Kangaroos in the final of the St John Cricket Cup at the MCG yesterday.

The Bombers kept the Kangaroos to a total of 173 but had some nervous moments in the field with captain Joe Misiti turning in one of the worst wicket-keeping performances ever seen on the hallowed turf.

But Misiti made up for his blundering effort behind the stumps with a hard-hitting 29 with the bat - an innings which included one massive six over backward square leg. The Bombers finished with 5/180.

The highlight of the Bombers bowling performance was the opening spell of Paul Barnard who ripped through the Kangaroo top order finishing with 3/30 off five overs.

At one stage Barnard was on a hat-trick when he dismissed Ricky Olarenshaw and Joe McLaren with successive deliveries. Other wicket-takers for the Bombers included John Barnes, Judd Lalich, Dean Rioli and Dean Solomon. Youngster Ted Richards bowled well at the end of the innings and was unlucky not to collect a couple of scalps.

The Bombers fielded well for the majority of the Kangaroo innings but teammates were scathing when it came to assessing Misiti's performance behind the stumps. He dropped catches, missed stumpings and let through an estimated 20 byes.

"As a wicketkeeper he makes a brilliant centreman," John Barnes said. "He is the worst I've ever seen ... the agility of a brick."

"It was like he had cymbals on his hands instead of wicketkeeping gloves," tearaway quick Barnard said. "He would have looked more at home at band practice."

"He let so many byes through you could help but wonder if he was on the take - I'm sure I saw an indian bookmaker sitting in the Southern Stand rubbing his hands together," teammate Dean Solomon said.

However Misiti defended himself vigorously. "That was a very difficult wicket to keep on - Ian Healy would have struggled," he said.

"I think the blokes should be thankful I volunteered to do the job - no-one else put their hand up when I asked who wanted wicketkeep."

The Bombers batted extremely well in reply to the Kangaroos total finishing at 5/180 with 14 overs to spare.

Other players to star with the bat were Lalich (30 retired), Bolton (21), Solomon (25) and Scott Lucas (23). Paul Barnard (18no) also cleared to fence on two occasions off Kangaroo spinner Troy Makepqeace - once straight and once over mid-wicket.