By Marcus Uhe
Casey South Melbourne’s finals fate is not yet secure with one week remaining in the Victorian Premier Cricket season, despite embarking on a six-match winning streak in the back half of the season.
While it would take a dramatic final round for the Swans to lose their place, they are vulnerable to an outright victory from Melbourne in eighth place, and Prahran in ninth, which could sensationally tip the Swans out of the top eight.
Casey South Melbourne missed a gilt-edged opportunity to secure their place in the top eight this weekend in a 53-run loss to an understrength St Kilda outfit.
The Swans could only offer 181 in reply to the Saints’ total of 234 from day one.
St Kilda was missing a trio of key batters on assignment for the Victorian Sheffield Shield side on day one in Peter Handscomb, Harry Dixon and Marcus Harris but still posted a score too strong for the Swans to chase down.
Matthew Calder’s elevation to the top of the order proved an unsuccessful risk, making just 12, and his absence in the middle order was keenly felt, as a dramatic collapse of 5/38 brought their innings crashing to a halt.
Devin Pollock was removed without scoring in the chaos while Ash Chandrasinghe (39), Jackson Isakka (17), Luke Shelton (seven) and Vinu Mohotty (seven) joined the wicketkeeper batter in the departure lounge.
From 2/80 in the 33rd over, the Swans surrendered their ability to score and protect their wicket, falling to 7/118 22 overs later.
The innings came to an end in the 83rd over having crawled along at a run rate of 2.2.
Harry Hoekstra’s 31 at number 10 shows continued improvement with the bat in hand, Yash Pednakar reached 38 in the middle order and Chandrasinghe’s 39 continues a solid run of recent form, but this will be viewed as one that the Swans let slip.
They face Carlton in a grand final rematch in round 20, the first meeting since last year’s heartbreaking grand final loss.
