Steady Swans seal the deal

By Ben Hope
CASEY-South Melbourne continued its season’s success with a weekend win over Footscray-Edgewater that has positioned the team in second place on the Premier Cricket ladder.
Chasing the 198 set by the Bulldogs the previous week, the Swans ended on 8/202 after 89 overs.
The win made a finals game look almost certain for the Swans, who are now only two points behind ladder-leader St Kilda and nine points away from ninth place.
Swans coach Mark Ridgway said it was a hard-fought game but it was pleasing so see improvements right across the club.
“This time last year we probably would have fallen over for 100,” Ridgway said. “We were at the bottom last year and now we are mid-table so we have seen some real improvements.”
Opener Rohan Blandford managed to hold on for 43 from 79 balls before he was bowled out leaving the Swans at a comfortable 1/82. Fellow opener Robert Elston was responsible for 33 and Damien Wright made 24 before he was run out by Dylan Kight.
Third to bat was Matthew Wade who disappointingly went out for a duck. Fellow Bushranger Damien Wright made 20 before being run out as Kight claimed his second wicket.
Brett Eddy (8) and Clive Rose (3) brought up the tail end, needing only a handful of runs to push the Swans over the line.
Although an outright win would have seen the Swans head to the top of the ladder. Ridgway was happy with the six points that took them to second position.
“We didn’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves,” Ridgway said.
“There were two days of rain before the game started so the wicket was freshed up quite substantially and it was hard going. Footscray Edgewater bowled well but fortunately we batted better than they bowled and we made the runs.”
If the Swans stay in the top eight it will be the first time South Melbourne have made it to the finals in the past 20 years and the team will be looking for a win.
“There’s no point in making it to the finals if you can’t win. We’re not just going to make up the numbers, we will give it a red hot crack and see how we’ll go,” Ridgway said.
“We should have already beaten three of the top teams quite convincing and we didn’t do that. We have learned a lot since then.”
Wicket-keeper Thomas Hussey and all-rounder Tim Dale will rejoin the side next week as the take on the Camberwell Magpies as Bushrangers Wright and Wade return to the state team.