Rain robs Swans star

By Marc McGowan
CASEY-SOUTH Melbourne star Craig Entwistle was cruelly denied a chance at breaking Roy Howard’s all-time club record for runs in a single season on Saturday.
Torrential rain forced the abandonment of the Swans’ Victorian Premier Cricket ranking match against Melbourne University, leaving Entwistle stranded on 822 runs – 13 short of equalling Howard’s memorable 1952-53 season.
His disappointment was short-lived, however, when he was named in the competition’s team of the season at the Cricket Victoria Gala Awards at the Grand Hyatt on Monday night.
“It’s something I’d never expect and a real honour and privilege to be named alongside players like (St Kilda batsman) Graeme Rummans,” Entwistle said on the night.
He also tied for 15th in the Jack Ryder Medal for player of the year behind two-time winner Rummans after being as high as fourth after round 10.
Other Casey-South Melbourne players to poll well included captain-coach Roger Sillence (19 votes) and all-rounder revelation Lucas van Raay (18).
The club also hosted its annual Max Reeves Award on Sunday night, which saw 17-year-old Barry Wyatt (21.7 points) edge out Sillence (20) and Matthew Hawking (19).
The award, which is voted on a match-by-match basis by captains, offers every player at the club the chance to win overall player-of-the-year honours. The thirds and fourths’ games are weighted to make it fair as they play fewer matches than the higher grades.
Wyatt divided his playing time between the seconds and the thirds, managing 78 runs and 14 wickets at an average of 15.6 and 20, respectively, in the former.