Casey-South Melbourne veteran Craig Entwistle was out for ducks in both innings in the clash with Geelong at Casey Fields.By Marc McGowan
ANOTHER insipid batting display saw Casey-South Melbourne demolished by an innings and 42 runs at Casey Fields on Saturday.
Geelong cemented its finals spot with the thumping Victorian Premier Cricket victory, but it was all bad news for the Swans.
The match was Casey-South Melbourne’s worst performance of the season, with its horrible first innings batting effort basically handing the outing to the Cats within three hours of starting.
Geelong compiled a quickfire 6/213 before declaring in response to the Swans’ total of 82 on day one.
Casey-South Melbourne was sent in again for 16 overs before stumps, moving to 2/55 at the end of play.
Swans captain Michael Hansen said his team needed to bat well in the first session on the weekend to try to stave off outright defeat, but his players offered little resistance on resumption.
Unbeaten batsmen Chris Benham and Matthew Hawking added seven runs on Saturday morning before disaster struck.
Star Cat swing bowler Trent Walerys (5/22 from 12.3 overs) claimed the scalp of Hawking to mark the beginning of the end.
Walerys, who pocketed match figures of 9/53, then removed Craig Entwistle for his second duck of the fixture before Englishman Benham also departed, leaving Casey-South Melbourne at 5/66.
Hansen and gloveman Robbie Elston looked to have steadied the ship somewhat, but when they were dismissed within two runs of one another the Swans were in disarray.
Australian under 19 representative Clive Rose, who replaced Richard Lewis in the line-up, made just six runs while Luke van Raay and Lukas Hoogenboom did not bother the scorers.
Casey-South Melbourne was all out for a dismal 89 before lunch.
This was despite batting all the way down to number 10, where young batting prospect Jake Best entered the game.
Hansen revealed he was running out of answers for his team’s sub-par performances.
“We’re going pretty ordinary at the moment,” he said.
“We’re struggling and need to find something in the last game against Northcote, which is in a similar position to us.
“Everyone is frustrated and a bit angry and disappointed really.”
Despite batting on a difficult wicket on the weekend, Hansen offered no excuses.
“Last week we were on a good deck and this week the deck was hard to score on and got a little bit soft,” he said.
“But at the same time if we had batted well last week on a good wicket, they would have batted in a tough scenario.
“We’re just not playing well. We have no confidence and it is hard going at the moment in these last couple of games.”
Benham flew back to England on Monday for County Cricket duties and the club is still unsure whether he will return next season.
But this weekend’s encounter will mark the first XI debut of promising teenage Gippsland fast bowling recruit Andrew Perrin.
Perrin played his first game for the club last round against North Melbourne in the second XI, snaring 3/37.
The Swans face Northcote in a two-dayer this Saturday and Sunday from 11am each day at Bill Lawry Oval.
