Damien Fleming predicts higher honours for young Swan

Damien Fleming is talking up Ashley Chandrasinghe, who is averaging more than 50 in Victorian Premier Cricket.

Casey South Melbourne batsman Ashley Chandrasinghe went pass the 600-run mark on Saturday. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Not that Ashley Chandrasinghe needs much help, but former Test fast bowler Damien Fleming has gone into bat for the 19-year-old opener.

Fleming said it was hard to recall a young player making such an impressive start in Victorian Premier Cricket and he hoped the state selectors were taking notice of Chandrasinghe.

On Twitter, he declared it was “only a matter of time’’ before the Swan received higher honours.

Chandrasinghe on Saturday crafted his second century for Casey South Melbourne, 103 not out, and went past 600 runs for the season in a match against Ringwood that was curtailed by rain.

He scored a ton – 144 against Northcote – on his debut in 2019-20, and from 18 innings in the First XI has hit 809 runs at an average of 50.57.

“I’m trying to think … the (Brad) Hodges and (Jake) Fraser-McGurks, they didn’t dominate District cricket but got a chance at the next level because most people could see pure talent … but for the next tier below, I don’t know if anyone has averaged over 50 with two hundreds from their first 17 or 18 games,’’ Fleming said.

“He’s a very classy left-hand batsman. He’s very solid, and his stroke play is getting a little bit more elaborate.

Ashley Chandrasinghe has the ability to “go big’’.

“One-day cricket isn’t his perfect format at the moment, but it’s been forced on him this season and once he’s hung in at the start he’s found his boundary shots.

“He’s very good square of the wicket, he sweeps the spinners. Even on the weekend, I think he was three off 30 (balls) and I did text ‘Beaks’ (Swannies coach Brian Keogh) to say tell him to slow down, he’s got 50 overs the big fella. But he got to 100 by the end, and that shows he can accelerate when he has to.

“He’s a kid who I hope gets the opportunity to push up at least around the Victorian state squad because I think he’ll actually thrive in more elite training squads.’’

Fleming, a specialist coach with the Swans this season, added: “The thing in District cricket is there are a lot of batsmen who average in the 20s.

“And here we’ve got a kid who has already shown, even when wickets are falling around him, that he’s going to push on to 70s and 80s and now 100. That attribute of going big is something we absolutely love.’’

He said Chandrasinghe would also be an elite fielder.

His second-wicket partnership of 147 with wicketkeeper Devin Pollock set the Swans on their way to 3-271 against Ringwood.

Pollock cracked 82 off 96 balls, with 8 fours and 1 six, and his replacement, Chris Benedek, blasted 45 off 19 deliveries, bombing 4 sixes.

Chandrasinghe’s 103 came off 155 balls and featured 5 fours and 1 six.

Echoing Fleming, Keogh said the one-day fixtures this season had helped the left-hander “develop some tricks in his batting, like going over the top, playing the scoop’’.

“He’s really developing some gears in his game,’’ he said.

“It’s funny, I was saying to him after the game, at the start of the season we’re probably thinking 17 one-dayers aren’t going to be for him, but it’s actually helped him develop some new shots that he wouldn’t have worked as hard on previously. It’s going to hold him in great stead when he goes back to the longer form. What we can say now is that, yes, he’s a fantastic red-ball player but he’s a bloody good short-form player as well.’’

As for Pollock, Keogh said the 23-year-old was having another excellent season and was a fine player.

He said Pollock should be around the mark for selection if the interstate second XI competition resumed in 2021-22.

“Dev’s hand was a ripper, the catalyst for us to get such a really big score,’’ Keogh said.

“He’s such a fierce competitor. Everybody loves playing with him. He’s a streetfighter, and you wants guys like him in the changerooms.’’

Casey South Melbourne meets ladder Carlton on Saturday.