Fire in the bowling and the belly

By Marc McGowan
CASEY-SOUTH Melbourne’s much-hyped bowling attack must fire on Saturday after its batsmen could muster only a middle-of-the-road total against Frankston-Peninsula last weekend.
The Swans’ chase for a maiden win this summer started well enough at Casey Fields, but faltered in two separate periods as they settled for 209.
Last season’s captain Michael Hansen (57 runs off 81 balls) cracked a sparkling half-century, while teenage bladesmen Clive Rose (29 off 126) and Jake Best (29 off 93) managed stout efforts.
Current skipper Craig Entwistle’s (2) struggles continued and he has now made just 25 runs, including two ducks, from his last five trips to the crease.
Casey-South Melbourne speedster Jayde Herrick knocked back Leigh Lowry’s middle stump in the final over of the day to leave the Heat at 1/21 at stumps.
Rose and Best edged the Swans to 1/73 shortly after lunch before they both lost their wickets in a collapse of 3/2.
Hansen, who has scored three fifties and a century this season, resurrected the innings with another teenager, Brett Eddy, in a 50-run union.
Eddy departed with the score on 125, but Tim Dale went to tea unbeaten with Hansen at 5/160.
Dale fell almost immediately after resumption, but it was Hansen’s dismissal – after cracking a glorious pull shot for six off the previous ball – that was the start of the end.
Former state player Nick Jewell’s (4/52) gentle left-handed medium pace wreaked havoc on Casey-South Melbourne’s line-up after opening bowler Darren Groves succumbed to a right quad injury.
All-rounder James Miller (4/49) also feasted on the Swans’ batting, including claiming the final wicket of number-10 Ash Perera when substitute fielder Luke Reid held a magnificent one-handed catch.
Only Herrick’s five-boundary knock of 20 enabled Casey-South Melbourne to pass 200 on what was a good batting wicket.
The former St Kilda and Frankston-Peninsula quick bowled a fiery six-over spell before stumps to give the hosts a fighting chance.
Damien Wright will play for the Swans this Saturday if Victoria lost its Twenty20 clash with Queensland last night.
Scores were unavailable when the News went to press.
Left-hander Perera is also due for a day out in what has been a mostly economic yet luckless debut Premier Cricket season.
Casey-South Melbourne coach Mark Ridgway was relatively pleased with his side’s total, noting that he had seen improvement in his players’ display.
“It was a much-improved performance,” he said.
The fixture resumes at Casey Fields on Saturday at 11am.