Casey-South Melbourne has fallen agonisingly short of breaking its 54-season premiership drought.
The Swans were sent in at The Albert Ground by Carlton skipper Evan Gulbis, and after a seesawing first innings, posted 200, which was then revised to 202 after an over was lost during the innings to rain.
The Blues got off to a ravaging start, with the Bloods bowlers bowling too many boundary balls to Gulbis and fire-cracker Brayden Stepien.
The Blues raced to 1/60 off 10, before the Swans launched back into the contest.
Jackson Fry – the bowler with the solitary wicket – then took three scalps in quick succession.
He peppered the men behind the wicket, with Gulbis, Harry Smyth and Nick Ross all edging to the cordon off the bowling of Fry.
Ross was the last of the three quick wickets, with Ruwantha Kellapotha taking a sublime catch low to his right.
But heart-breakingly for the Swans, the Blues rallied, all-rounder Tom Smyth and Brayden Stepien both reached half centuries, with Connor Rutland and Xavier Crone chipping in late in the piece.
The Swans fell to a four-wicket defeat in the final overs at The Albert.
Pick up this week’s Gazette to read the full review with comments from coach Will Carr…
