Above: Matthew Hawking fires one down on the weekend.THIRTEEN runs separate Casey-South Melbourne from a maiden 2008-09 Premier Cricket triumph after day one of its final-round clash with local rival Dandenong at Shepley Oval.
The Swans have failed to record a win in the one-day, two-day or Twenty20 format this season.
But that should all end this Saturday, with Casey-South Melbourne requiring just 13 runs to clock up its first points of the summer.
In-form speedster Jayde Herrick (4/49) and rising star Clive Rose (4/29) demolished the Panther line-up for a measly 130 after Dandenong made a solid start.
The Swans strolled to stumps at 4/118, with teenager Jake Best (21 not-out) and gloveman Tom Hussey (one not-out) set to polish off the remaining runs.
Dandenong openers Brett Forsyth (29 off 65) and Tom Donnell took the hosts’ score to 34 without loss before the latter departed.
Casey-South Melbourne coach Mark Ridgway credits the first drinks break – and a message from the sidelines – as the turning point.
The Swans’ bowlers were either too short or too full in the first hour, but did not stray after the break.
Herrick, who has taken 17 of his 27 wickets for the season in the past five matches, was outstanding, while all-rounder Rose’s haul was a career-best.
Left-arm beanpole Ash Perera also impressed, despite not adding to his initial scalp of Donnell.
The Panthers’ total could have been much worse if not for Endeavour Hills-raised Victorian Bushranger James Pattinson (25 off 40), who only played as a batsman due to a back injury.
Casey-South Melbourne skipper Craig Entwistle (36 off 111) finally broke out of his batting slump to join in a 73-run opening stand with Rose (42 off 79).
Promising number-three Best continued their good work and, despite losing Robbie Elston and Michael Hansen cheaply, the Swans ended the day in complete control.
Only stocky quick Brent Fairbanks (2/22) managed multiple wickets for Dandenong.
Ridgway was thrilled with his players’ display – as he has been since the Christmas break.
“I’d be feeling a bit better if the points were in the bag, but it was a good day – we were 13 runs off a perfect day,” he said.
“When you sit down and analyse it, I brought a bunch of guys together that haven’t played together, a new captain who isn’t experienced (as a captain) and you throw them into one team and hope for the best, but it just doesn’t happen like that.
“Sadly, they’ve been poorly coached in the past, and, with some really basic coaching and basic game plans, we’ve been able to pull off what we think is a reasonably good finish to the year.”
The fixture resumes at Shepley Oval on Saturday at 11am.
