Swans sweat a demon round

By Paul Pickering
CASEY-South Melbourne’s breakout Premier Cricket season hit a snag in the form of perennial powerhouse Melbourne on Saturday.
The Demons made sure it was a rude welcome to the iconic Albert Ground, blasting 6/344 before declaring shortly before stumps on day one.
The Swans, who have risen from last in 2009/10 to fifth after eight rounds, will resume at 1/10 this Saturday, needing to pass 250 for the first time this summer if they are to snatch first innings points.
The visitors, so dominant with the ball this season, were left searching for a ‘plan B’ after Melbourne openers Rob Cooper (140) and Ben Way (45) combined for a 67-run first-wicket stand.
Returning skipper Damien Wright claimed the vital breakthrough, making Way his first of three victims for the afternoon.
His 11 overs cost just 26 runs, but the Demons had little trouble negotiating 27 overs from pace spearhead Jayde Herrick, who finished with unflattering figures of 0/109.
All-rounder Tim Dale (2/59) toiled hard for his skipper and eventually snared the prized wicket of Cooper.
Cooper had been the anchor for the Melbourne innings, but his departure did little to plug the flow of runs.
Some lusty hitting from wicketkeeper-batsman Ash Middlin (37 not out) and stalwart Phil Halbish (33) afforded the hosts the luxury of declaring for a crack at the Swans before stumps.
The awkward five-over twilight session proved to be exactly that for the visitors, who lost in-form opener Robbie Elston for a duck, caught behind off the third ball of the innings.
It was a decisive blow for the Demons, but they will be wary of underestimating a Casey-South Melbourne unit that is beginning to earn some respect in the competition.
The Swans backed up on Sunday to host Fitzroy-Doncaster in their last Twenty20 preliminary match, but the result was no more satisfying.
The party atmosphere at Casey Fields was unable to inspire the home side, which meandered to 7/100 from its allotted overs.
Dale (32 not out) and Craig Entwistle (33) were the only Swans to find the middle of the bat with any consistency, and they also proved most effective with the ball, claiming 2/20 and 2/21 respectively.
Lions star Lloyd Mash (21 from nine balls) exploded out of the blocks to ease the pressure on his side, leaving skipper Peter Dickson (43 not out) – who made 209 against Camberwell the previous day – to finish the job with 22 balls remaining.
Casey-South Melbourne finished 12th in the Twenty20 standings after splitting their four preliminary games.