Ashley Chandrasinghe steers Swans to run-chase win

A century-stand from Ashley Chandrasinghe and Chris Benedek lifted Casey South Melbourne past Frankston Peninsula.

Ashley Chandrasinghe walks off unbeaten on 98.

Will Carr pulled up “a bit heavy in the legs’’ after fielding for all but 50 overs for Casey South Melbourne on Saturday.

But the performance of emerging opener Ashley Chandrasinghe put a figurative spring in the step of the Swans assistant coach and indeed all attached to the Premier club.

The 19-year-old left-hander hit 98 not out against Frankston Peninsula as the Swans won five wickets down in their pursuit of the Heat’s 199.

The scores were level when Chris Benedek was dismissed for 52.

With more than two overs to be bowled Chandrasinghe’s Swans teammates were hoping he could fashion both the winning runs and his second century.

But Dylan Hadfield’s first ball was a juicy full-toss on his leg stump. As any batsman would do, he clipped it to the boundary.

Chandrasinghe walked off two shy of his ton, but content in the knowledge he had escorted his team to its second victory of the season.

Casey South Melbourne spinner Ashvin Adihetty. Picture: Valeriu Campan

He’d faced 132 balls and put away 8 fours and 1 six.

Former Victorian paceman Carr thought it a tremendous innings.

“He’s a class act,’’ he fizzed.

“For a 19-year-old, he showed terrific maturity. He’s got a great temperament to go with a very good technique. A couple of early wickets fell around him, then a couple more to put us 4-70 and not scoring overly quickly. There was a long way to go in the game at that stage, but he controlled the innings, controlled the tempo, went up the gears when he needed to, went over the top when they brought the field in to put pressure on him, worked the singles. The only downside was that he was two short at the end.

“It would have been nice for him to get there but some would argue that you go for the win first. There’ll be plenty of other opportunities for Ash to get triple figures.’’

Heat batsman Vishesh Bansal and Swannies keeper Dev Pollock.

He said Chandrasinghe had been working with club batting coaches Thilan Samaraweera and Bart Perera, and was starting to expand his range of strokes.

The youngster and Benedek put on 129 for the fifth wicket, with Benedek facing 77 balls and striking 3 fours.

“He batted beautifully too,’’ Carr said. “That was a really good innings from Chris. The game was right in the balance when he walked out to bat. He built a solid base with Ash and accelerated when he had to.’’

With the bowling, Jackson Fry set the standard with 1-29 off 10 overs, going without the rewards Carr thought he deserved.

The left-armer has picked up a yard since last season and is testing the best batsmen.

Cal Dodson bowled well in the late overs to snaffle 3-41 off 10, and left-arm spinners Ashvin Adihetty and Lachie Sperling grabbed two wickets apiece.

The Swans celebrate a wicket, including 44-year-old substitute fielder Will Carr.

The Heat had been 4-150 but lost their way late in the innings.

Opener Vishesh Bansal hit a breezy 48 and No 3 Tyan Hammel crafted 56 off 87 deliveries, with 4 fours and 2 sixes.

Carr had been whistled on to the field in the first over when quickie Nathan Lambden suffered a shoulder injury.

Lambden had been passed fit to play and got through the warm-up, but broke down after his second ball.

Carr, a fit 44-year-old, joked that he “certainly looked around to see if there was anyone else more suited to jump on’’.