LARKIN TO THE FOUR
Thrilling last-ball boundary keeps Geelong’s finals hopes alive
A FINAL-ball boundary from Geelong batsman Josh Larkin gave the Cats a “vital” win over Casey-South Melbourne on Saturday to keep their Premier Cricket top-eight aspirations alive.
The home side needed four to win from the final delivery to chase down the Swans’ 242, with Larkin (38 not out) providing the winning runs with a boundary down the Kardinia Park ground.
The win was set up by milestones from Geelong’s two most experienced players after a “stern” review from coach Nick Speak.
Hayden Butterworth hit his second century in three games and Dom McGlinchey was superb with 5-38, containing the visitors’ scoring after it appeared Ashley Chandrasinghe and Harrish Kannan would set a tall target. Jack Wrigglesworth was important with 3-47 from 9.3 overs, including the wicket of young talent Chandrasinghe for 81.
Speak said he was pleased with the response following the final-over loss to St Kilda last week when he put the hard word on his players.
“It must be said that I was as stern with them in the rooms after (the) St Kilda (game) as I’ve been since I’ve been at Geelong – and probably since the last five or six years,” he said. “It just got to the point where I felt like I had to, not scare people, but let them know what I really think.
“It was a really good bounce back and I asked for senior players to stand up and they did.”
Speak said Butterworth’s innings of 107 from 128 deliveries was “every bit as good” as his innings against Kingston.
“This was under a bit more pressure because we were chasing rather than posting,” he said. “With obviously some of the pressure I would have put on asking for senior players to stand up, it was a very good innings.”
The five-wicket win leaves Geelong only two points out of the top eight with Tom Jackson, Brody Couch and Tom O’Connell to come back into the side.
Jackson’s return from a knee injury was delayed by another week and he will be fit to play against Dandenong at Shepley Oval this weekend.
Speak said it was a “vital” win.
“What were we? 2-4? I think it would have been a long way back if we had have lost that game,” he said. “Very grateful and thankful to get out of it really at the end, obviously with a win off the last ball.”