Swans left broken-hearted

By Paul Pickering
CASEY-South Melbourne coach Mark Ridgway said his Swans were “heart-broken” and “shell-shocked” after their final-over loss to St Kilda at Junction Oval on Saturday.
That may seem a bit melodramatic for round two, but, given the club’s recent history, you can understand the frustration.
Ridgway believes his side is on the cusp of sustained success, but the Swans just keep finding ways to lose.
On Saturday, it took the highly-fancied Saints 49.5 overs and all 11 batsmen to eke past the meagre total of 137 posted by last season’s wooden-spooners.
Daniel Mueller’s match-winning boundary from the penultimate ball was a cruel blow to Swans’ death-bowler Tim Dale, who had conceded just 16 runs from his 40 previous deliveries.
Dale was not to blame. According to Ridgway, the crucial moment was a missed run-out chance that let St Kilda star Glenn Lalor off the hook with the score at 3/64.
Lalor and Daniel Forbes went on to add 42 runs for the fourth wicket.
“It’s just these clutch moments that are hurting us,” Ridgway lamented.
“We just something so minute that’s wrong and it lets the other team back into the game.
“If we get those (moments) right, we’re as good as anyone in the competition.”
The Swans identified Saints run-machine Graeme Rummans and left-arm orthodox spinner Michael Beer as the keys to Saturday’s game.
But they played into Beer’s hands by slumping to 4/32, which allowed the deadly-accurate tweaker to dictate terms during the middle and late overs.
He finished with 2/18 from almost nine overs, while paceman Daniel Babula (4/34) proved to be the main striker.
If not for an outstanding innings from Robbie Elston (62), the Swans could have folded completely.
The visitors still gave themselves some chance of defending 137 on a tacky wicket.
They had their first breakthrough when Saints opener Damon Rowan cut a Jayde Herrick down Rohan Blandford’s throat at point, bringing Rummans to the crease at 1/20.
The St Kilda skipper was frustrated by some tight bowling andeventually hit a full toss straight to Elston at short cover.
Clive Rose’s persistence paid off soon after when he ended a labour-intensive inning from Dimitri Deane (17 from 60 balls), but the failed attempt to run Lalor out allowed the Saints to settle.
Not surprisingly, it was an in-form Herrick who claimed the vital wicket, sneaking one through Lalor’s defence to put the Saints under pressure at 4/106.
The home side lost its next five wickets for just 12 runs, before a loose 49th over from Brett Watkins left St Kilda with just three to get in the last over.
The result saw Casey remain among five winless teams after two rounds, but their early-season form is a vast improvement on last summer.
“The team’s playing good and bad cricket at the moment, but as long as we keep improving, I don’t care,” Ridgway said.
“It’s just going to take one win to get us rolling.”
Casey-South Melbourne will have two cracks at getting that victory this weekend, with one-dayers against Dandenong and Melbourne Uni on Saturday and Sunday.