By Tyler Lewis
“We probably would be now, yeah”.
Currently sitting in sixth and on the cusp of finals cricket, Casey-South Melbourne coach Will Carr has set the bar of expectation, revealing his club would be disappointed if the Swans weren’t to make finals now.
Carr’s men were a class above on Saturday against Greenvale Kangaroos.
The Swans put the clamps on the Roos in the first dig, restricting the visiting side to just 8/168 from its 50 overs, with a handful of bowlers lowering their season-economy significantly.
Left-arm seamer Jackson Fry bowled tightly with 0/15 off his 10 overs, while leg-spinner Ruwantha Kellepotha bowled the Swans to a commanding position with 2/22 from his 10 overs – with a remarkable three maidens.
His around the wicket dismissal of Greenvale skipper Matt Harrison was a major highlight for the reigning Wookey Medallist.
As the duo have done for several weeks now this season, openers Ashley Chandrasinghe and Luke Manders (a run a ball 30) got the Swans off to a brilliant start.
The 47-run stand allowed the Swans to internally bank the win and hunt for the all-important bonus point.
Michael Wallace (43 off 53) and Harrish Kannan (22 off 15) upped the tempo, while Chandrasinghe galloped his side home.
The unblemished 52 at the weekend is the left-hander’s fourth consecutive half-century.
In order to gain the bonus point, the Swans needed to reach the Roos target in 80 per cent of the allocated 50 overs.
The home unit did so in 34.3 overs with just three casualties.
The win – and bonus point – now has the Swans in sixth position on the ladder, and with each and every win, the Swans ‘belief’ is beginning to simmer.
“I think when the result goes your way and when every (other) result goes your way, it instills a bit more belief,” Carr said.
“Internally we know we have been able to – particularly in the last couple of weeks – tick a few more boxes that we hadn’t been.
“I just think there is a good feel in the group and there is a bit of belief there, but at the same time we know there is still five rounds to go and with how tight the ladder is, you can lose next week and drop back to tenth.
“We’re realistic at where things are at,” he said.
While the Swans are a dark-horse in the finals race, many at Casey Fields would admit the rise of this side has come prematurely to what was expected – especially in a white-ball season.
However, Carr believes the sides rise through the competition this summer is as a result of the hunger this group possesses, regardless of age.
“There is so much upside to the entire playing group, not just the first XI,” he said.
“A part of our strategies this year was to bring players into the squad that are going to help develop not only the younger guys, but the experienced guys (too), the balance is really exciting.
“They’re a tight-knit group, they play for each other. They’re open to wanting to get better, regardless of what stage of their career.
“We have guys that have played 80-100 first XI games and blokes that have just started out, but they all want to get better.
“From a coaching point of view, it is terrific to have everyone with that attitude,” Carr said.
The Swans will have its biggest test in the run home this weekend when they take on Ringwood.
While the Rams have been a bit unpredictable this year, a big battle early on is a certainty, with Ringwood opening bat Tom Rogers carrying his side this year with a whopping 794 runs at 113.
