Swans shocker

By Justin Robertson
GUTTED and dazed … that was the reaction from Casey-South Melbourne coach, Mark Ridgway, straight after his side’s 85-run quarter-final loss to the Dandenong Panthers at Casey Fields over the weekend.
Set 209 for the win, the Swans lost two wickets late on Saturday which put them behind the eight ball.
Then, on Sunday morning, they lost five wickets in the first session, placing them at 7/99 at lunch.
From there, the Panthers went in for the kill and ended the Swans’ finals run, bowling them out for 123.
“We just fogged up on the big stage,” Ridgway said.
“I don’t think we were mentally tough enough over the weekend – I think we lost an opportunity to win a grand final.”
The Swans’ task on Sunday was simple: score 187 runs or not lose 10 wickets.
But a fine spell of bowling by Panthers’ spearhead bowler Justin Butterfield – who claimed his season best figures of 5/29 – ripped out the hearts of Swans’ batsmen.
“It was disappointing to be bundled out without a yelp but from a club point of view, we did well to finish fourth at the end of the home and away season,” he said.
“But, it’s worse than what happened last year. Back then we weren’t expected to reach finals, so to lose first round was acceptable.
“This season we expected to make the top four and thought we’d improved enough to take the next step.”
The Swans were without Victorian representative players Damian Wright, Matthew Wade and Jayde Herrick, but Ridgway refused to use that as an excuse for the shattering loss.
“We had to play with the cards we were dealt and we thought we were a good enough team and certainly our bowlers bowled us into the game,” he said.
“At the start of the week if you had have said chase 208 against Dandenong in a quarter final, you’d be pretty happy to take that especially when Pattinson and Siddle weren’t bowling.”
Ridgway said the team would meet next week to discuss the highs and lows of the season and would start planning for next season.
In a boost for the club, Damian Wright has retired from first class cricket and is tipped to captain the young side in 2011/12.
“We’ve improved over the last few years and we’re at about 90 per cent of our potential,” Ridgway said.
“We need to find that extra 10 per cent. We just need to find a way to get from fourth to first.”