Swans steady their season with cracking win over Essendon

Young players Ashley Chandrasinghe and Harrish Kannan were to the fore as Casey South Melbourne held out the Bombers.

Jackson Fry and Harrish Kannan after the Swans’ win.

Fast-rising Casey South Melbourne opener Ashley Chandrasinghe had been making runs in defeat.

On Saturday he made them in victory, surging past 400 runs for the season as the Swans gained a crucial victory over Essendon at Casey Fields.

They held the Bombers to 7-200 as they chased 211, the visitors squeezed by the left-arms of paceman Jackson Fry and spinner Ash Adihetty.

It ended a run of three straight losses for CSM.

Chandrasinghe has played only 14 First XI matches but at the age of 19 he’s become the mainstay of Casey South Melbourne’s batting.

His 67 on Saturday held together an innings that was fraying until young Harrish Kannan and Lachie Sperling picked up the threads in the late overs.

Chandrasinghe faced 105 deliveries and put away 6 fours.

It was his third consecutive half-century and his fifth in nine matches this season.

No 7 Kannan hit 35 off 48 balls and Sperling, probably the most accomplished No 8 in the history of District/Premier Cricket, caned 34 off 35 to take the home team past 200.

Casey-South Melbourne batsman Ashley Chandrasinghe. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Sri Lankan great Tillakaratne Dilshan (18) missed out again – he hasn’t fired since his 55 on debut against Dandenong – when beaten and bowled by a beauty from Bomber left-arm Tom O’Donnell.

But he made a telling contribution with the ball, removing top Dons Aaron Ayre (14) and Michael Hill (5) in his 2-25 off 10 overs after Cal Dodson had grabbed the prized wicket of James Seymour, caught by captain Michael Wallace at mid-on after skying an attempted pull shot.

Hill, driving hard, was superbly snaffled by Sperling at short cover.

The cream of Essendon’s batting had been skimmed with only 24 runs made, but the Bombers steadied and got themselves back into match through Connor Rutland (26), James Ryan (56), Liam Molloy (57no) and Donovan Toohey (23).

In the end they were short of their target, despite using all their overs.

Fry and Kannan, another left-arm spinner, closed it out for Casey South Melbourne.

Kannan, 17, was called on to bowl after Sperling suffered a hamstring strain after bowling 2.2 overs (Dylan Hadfield completed the over). He finished with 2-55 off seven overs.

Fry was immaculate with 1-27 off 10, with four maidens, and spinner Adihetty (0-22 off 10) was a clamp at one end through the middle overs.

“It was great. It was a really good win. We played well,’’ Swannies coach Brian Keogh said.

“We’re 4-5 now, so the season’s alive. We’d been in positions to win at Geelong (on Australia Day) and against Northcote so we spoke about winning the big moments and the guys did.’’

He said Fry was exceptional and was having a fine season. The left-armer bowled the last over and shut the door on the Bombers.

“His improvement this season has been great,’’ Keogh said.

“He’s bowling a heavy ball – he’s getting them through at good pace – and he’s such a good team and clubman. Everything’s about the team and trying to get a win. He could easily have 15 wickets for the season, easily. Hopefully he gets a few cheap ones in the next couple of weeks.’’

As for Chandrasinghe, Keogh said the left-hander had made an “unbelievable’’ start to his Premier career.

“He’s such a great kid,’’ he said. “Well, he’s not a kid, he’s a young man, and he’s so driven and he’s such a team player too. He’s probably better suited to red-ball cricket but he’s really developing his game. Yesterday his strike rate would have been in the 70s. He’s a really good player, and he’s really good fieldsman too, so reliable out in the deep and with a good arm.’’

He was also pleased with 17-year-old Kannan’s performance with bat and ball.

The state under-age player joined the Swans from Ringwood ahead of the season.

Keogh said he was a creative and confident batsman and the club had high hopes for him.