VICTORIAN PREMIER CRICKET – ROUNDS 10 & 11 PREVIEW (T20’s)
CASEY-SOUTH MELBOURNE v ST KILDA
Saturday 3 December, Casey Fields – 2.30pm
FOOTSCRAY-EDGEWATER v CASEY-SOUTH MELBOURNE
Sunday 4 December, Mervyn Hughes Oval – 2.30pm
Current Form:
Round 8: Dandenong 4/114 def Casey-South Melbourne 111
Round 9: Frankston Peninsula 3/157 def Casey-South Melbourne 6/139
By Nick Creely
IF there is one thing that can be taken from the first nine rounds of the season, it’s that momentum is key in cricket.
For the Swans, they haven’t tasted victory since Round 3, and despite getting close on numerous occasions, just can’t get all the elements to work together into one performance.
But in the first three rounds of the season, the Swans couldn’t put a foot wrong.
Last weekend’s T20 matches against their local rivals Frankston and Dandenong were a disappointment, and despite toiling hard on both days, just couldn’t find the key to winning.
With the bat, starts continue to plague them. With the ball, it’s sudden lapses in intensity that are costing them.
But a fresh weekend against two highly fancied outfits, are the perfect tonic to re-discover their early season form.
The Swans are sticking fat with their group, and have only made the solitary change, with developing quick Jackson Fry returning to the side at the expense of emerging spinner Cameron Dinger.
Fry brings some much needed aggression to the ball, and responded to his demotion with a solid three game patch in the seconds.
The Swans have opted to leave out a spinner and play five specialist quicks, with skipper Lachlan Sperling set to chime in with his left arm tweakers if need be.
Casey-South 2016/17 1st XI statistics
Devin Pollock (wk) 8 matches, 213 runs, HS 43, Avg 26.63
Ryan Eaton 8 matches, 203 runs, HS 64, Avg 29.00
Luke Manders 3 matches, 53 runs, HS 26, Avg 17.67
Jordan Wyatt 3 matches, 7 runs, HS 6, Avg 2.33
Lachlan Sperling (capt) 8 matches, 212 runs, HS 67, Avg 26.50, 1 wicket, Avg 81.00, BB 1/5
Michael Wallace 8 matches, 167 runs, HS 39, Avg 27.83
Dylan Hadfield 8 matches, 176 runs, HS 37, Avg 25.14, 6 wickets, Avg 37.67, BB 2/31
Brendan Rose 8 matches, 52 runs, HS 28, Avg 13.00, 11 wickets, Avg 25.64, BB 2/10
Nathan Lambden 8 matches, 62 runs, HS 38, Avg 15.50, 10 wickets, Avg 28.10, BB 3/40
Jackson Fry 3 matches, has not batted, 4 wickets, Avg 24.50, BB 3/34
Leigh Diston 7 matches, 4 runs, HS 3, Avg 4.00, 10 wickets, Avg 30.80, BB 3/46
Players to watch:
Casey-South Melbourne quick Brendan Rose was the Swans best performed bowler last weekend, going at just 6 per over across his eight overs. With two strong batting line-ups ahead of them, Rose will be critical, especially in the middle-overs without a recognised spin bowler. He has been consistent without tearing a game apart, and it seems he is ready to explode with the ball. Opening batsman Devin Pollock has been a bit of a start merchant this season, with scores of 36, 43, 40, 24 and 25 in a row, but has plenty of talent, and a big score may be just around the corner.
St Kilda spinner Michael Beer has plied his trade in Twenty20 cricket for a long time in the BBL and even for Australia. Beer is the ultimate limited overs specialist with the ball, as he mixes his pace up well and is hard to get under. In the games last weekend, Beer went at just 4.6 per over, with three wickets. An expert in the middle overs, the Swans must ensure they are aggressive when playing him, and not letting him dictate terms with his clever variety.
Footscray batsman Dean Russ is a genuine superstar. In his seven matches this season, he has averaged 77, with two centuries and 385 runs. Russ has an appetite for big scores, and if the Swans let him off the hook, anything can potentially happen. It may sound simple, but getting Russ early is essential. He has made scores of 0, 8 and 21 this season, so can potentially be vulnerable early on in his innings.
It’s almost last chance saloon for the Swans, with wins this weekend a must if they want to stay in touch with the top eight.
Consistency is the key with bat and ball, as no two elements have worked together as of yet.
But the first three rounds showed exactly what the Swans are capable of, and they love the underdog tag.
