Casey turns it around

By David Nagel
CASEY-South Melbourne has turned around a disastrous start to the 2011/2012 Victorian Premier Cricket season and enters the remaining six games with its destiny in its own hands.
After seven rounds the Swans had tasted success on one occasion and a round eight home ground engagement with runaway competition leaders Carlton gave little hope of a recovery. The Swans’ season was about to take its last breath.
In the lead-up to that match Swans coach Mark Ridgway facilitated a meeting with his team where a blunt assessment of performances was handed out to each player. Whatever was said in that meeting has worked.
The Swans dominated the top side for the better part of two days and came within one wicket of causing the season’s biggest upset. Despite splitting the points with the Blues, there were massive positives to come out of that game.
Rohan Blandford, Clive Rose, Shaun Foster and skipper Jake Best all chalked up their first half centuries for the season while Rose backed that up with the ball, taking three wickets.
Confidence had finally been found after mixing it with the best in the business.
Since then the Swans have not looked back.
Victories over the Camberwell Magpies and North Melbourne leading into the Christmas break were done so on the back of brilliant batting from Jolyon Leaver and outstanding all-round performances from Rose and Shane Maggs.
Rose in particular has been quite outstanding and is one of the favourites for the Ryder Medal, the competition’s highest individual accolade.
He leads the competition in wickets taken with 26 and heads the Swans’ batting with 270 runs at an average of 33.75. His contribution in those two wins came in the form of nine wickets and two half centuries.
So where to now for Casey-South Melbourne?
The Swans currently sit in 12th position on the ladder and still have plenty of work to do to force their way into the top eight. Their post-Christmas campaign is littered with winnable games against Essendon (11th), Ringwood (14th), Dandenong (ninth), Fitzroy/Doncaster (eighth) and Hawthorn-Monash Uni (18th). A round 15 clash with second-placed Melbourne looms as a tough assignment.
There will be no shortage of action when the Swans take to the field for their remaining six matches. They have the unenviable title of being number one on the list for wickets lost with 80 but balance that out by being third on the list for wickets taken with 77.
Casey-South Melbourne start their run home with a one-day clash against Essendon at Casey Fields this Saturday. Match commences at 11am.