Swans tail works a little magic

By Justin Robertson
CASEY-SOUTH MELBOURNE pulled a rabbit out of the hat during its match against Frankston-Pennisula on Saturday.
Languishing at 6/66, with the top order all back in the shed, it took some gritty batting by debutant Roshan Livera (72), a cameo by captain Jayde Herrick (33) and solid knock by Clive Rose (69) to rectify a sticky situation.
The Swans were eventually dismissed for 277 a score that seemed unattainable earlier in the day.
Swans coach Mark Ridgway was rapt with his bottom order and the way they “gutsed” it out.
“They did an outstanding job in getting us to a competitive score,” he said. “Whether it’s enough or not who knows. But I was very disappointed with the top order.”
Citing poor shot selection and lack of concentration for the early collapse, Ridgway paid tribute to “unsung hero” Ash Perera who hung around for more than an hour for just four runs.
“If our number 10 can bat for that long you have thought the top six could have done the same thing,” he said.
First-gamer Livera caught Ridgway’s eye last week when he made a dazzling 65 in the second XI Twenty20 semi-final thriller, and he said it was only a matter of time before he got the call up.
“We have been looking at him all year, but you have to justify picking him,” he said. “He did what we wanted him to do last week and got his opportunity and didn’t let us down.”
Clive Rose’s 69 was no surprise to Ridgway, who believes if his red hot form continues with bat and ball, he could push for state selection down the track.
“He’s one of our shining lights at the club. He’ll play a lot of under-23 cricket for Victoria in the not too distant future,” he said.
“He is a good spinner and has a great technique with the bat. He opened for us two years ago, his formed dropped off last year but his technique is just outstanding.”
Swans skipper Jayde Herrick has 2/19 and Frankston-Peninsula on shaky ground at 3/43. He is currently playing a four-day game in Wellington, New Zealand as a favour to mate, Damien Wright, as he called on the bowling all-rounder in a time of need. Herrick will fly back Friday, and then open the bowling for Casey-South Melbourne on Saturday.
Ridgway said Pennisula’s Nick Jewell stands in their way in claiming the premiership points.
“The weather forecast isn’t promising, so not sure if we’ll get on,” he said. “But if we can knock him (Jewell) over early I think we are a chance to get right into them,” he said.