By Nick Creely
With a strong blend of youth and experience at Casey Fields, and some handy recruits, there is plenty of reason to be bullish about the prospects of Casey-South Melbourne this season.
The Swans fully understand the hard work is well and truly in front of them as they look to climb the table, and for incoming coach Will Carr, he’s simply embracing the challenge with his young squad.
While Premier Cricketers face another pre-season with Covid-19 restrictions and an inability to regularly connect as a group, the Swans have enjoyed a fruitful off-season, adding three players to an exciting batch of youngsters and seasoned regulars who have played large amounts of cricket together as a group.
The Swans have retained skipper Michael Wallace once again, with his deputy Devin Pollock also locked away, while senior regulars such as Lachie Sperling, Nathan Lambden, Jackson Fry, Callum Dodson, Chris Benedek, and Dylan Hadfield are all sticking around and playing a big part of guiding the next wave of cricketers coming through the ranks.
Boom youngster Ashley Chandrasinghe – who is making headlines in the Northern Territory after a stellar 2020/21 campaign – is also a prospect only expected to get better and is on the brink of breaking into the state system.
“We are a fairly young group overall, and a young club squad too, but have good experience there as well,” Carr said.
“We’ve got some great citizens and leaders around the club, so they’ll help develop the younger guys as well.
“They’re good to retain, and have them around – they offer a lot of support for me and the group overall.
“(But) the next wave is certainly coming through, with bat and ball.”
That next wave, as Carr describes, is expected to push hard for first XI places, and really create some selection headaches.
“Young Harrish Kannan got some exposure at the level last year, and at times looked at the level, but he’s another year older, has more experience, so I imagine he’ll grow into a bona-fide first XI bat,” he said.
“Ashvin Adihetty is still a teenager – we expect him to develop – a couple of young quicks in Justin Lambden and Evan Allaway are also exciting and developing really nicely.
“Evan had a full year in the seconds last year, so he’s bigger and stronger, so we hope there’s enough young guys sitting behind those younger players and with further development will become regular first XI players for us.
“(And) Arthav Deshpande delivered some really good results for us – he’s 16, played Dowling Shield and dominated for us, he’s one to keep an eye on us. He’s bigger and stronger.”
Reigning DDCA Turf 1 Wookey Medalist Ruwantha Kellepotha from Berwick, the leg-spinning all-rounder with match winning ability, fellow spinner Luke Shelton who took the fifth most wickets in NSW Premier Cricket with Mosman last season, and the returning Joel Mitchell who had a run-soaked season back home for Moe last year.
