By Marcus Uhe
A 47-run loss saw Casey South Melbourne’s undefeated run in Victorian Premier Cricket come to an end on Saturday morning against Melbourne at the Albert Ground.
The Swans were unable to chase Melbourne’s total of 7/182, despite an excellent opening spell of bowling from Nathan Lambden.
Lambden removed Victorian domestic wicketkeeper Sam Harper for a first-ball duck with the second ball of the match, and then sent Harper’s opening partner Zane Keighran back to the pavilion for just one in his second over.
The Swans took regular wickets throughout the innings to even have Melbourne in-trouble at 6/100 in the 13th over, as Lambden’s return to the bowling crease netted two wickets in his first three deliveries.
With Melbourne’s top four batters only providing a combined 35 runs, the Swans looked set to chase a small total and continue to fly high at the top of the table.
But boundaries to Victorian domestic seamer Fergus O’Neill and former domestic player David Moody, and hard running, saw Melbourne reach 182, with the run rate climbing from 7.7 at the end of the 13th over to nine by the close of the innings.
Devlin Webb, Jackson Fry and Luke Shelton were among the more expensive bowlers, each with economy rates over 10 from their respective spells, while Lambden’s glorious season continued, finishing with 4/17.
Casey’s response began at the required tempo but failed to recover after the loss of Ruwantha Kellapotha.
Kellapotha made 17 in a 37-run opening stand with Yash Pednekar before losing his wicket in the sixth over.
Pednekar and Michael Wallace then added 51 for the second wicket until Pednekar was caught behind off the spin bowling of Narre South product Harkirat Bajwa for 41.
From 1/88, the Swans lost their next six wickets for 33 runs as the middle order failed to build on the foundations laid, the overs expiring with the visitors at 7/135.
The Swans made immediate amends in their second outing for the afternoon, thrashing Prahran by eight wickets thanks to a dazzling display from Kellapotha.
The all-rounder took 3/16 from his four overs and finished unbeaten on 67 from 48 deliveries in the chase to remind Melbourne Renegades selectors of his quality.
Early wickets ensured Prahran’s innings never fully took off, reduced to 4/20 on their way to being bowled out for 115.
Kellapotha and Wallace then provided the bulk of the scoring in the chase; 69 for the second wicket as the Swans reached the target in the 17th over.
Wallace provided the calm, steady head at one end with 30 off 28 and allowed Kellapotha to play the more attacking role, hitting seven fours and one six in his half-century.
Casey South Melbourne sits atop the table heading into the Christmas break, but tied for points with both Ringwood and Geelong.
The Swans return to Casey Fields on Saturday 6 December for a top of the table clash with Ringwood, and another later in the day against Frankston Peninsula.
