Swans fly into top four spot

EMERGING young gun Cullan Spence has combined with veteran campaigner Brad Hauenstein to orchestrate North Geelong’s demise, in doing so lifting the Swans into the top four at the expense of Newtown & Chilwell.

The evergreen Hauenstein swept the tail to claim 4-31, but it was the rapidly developing Spence who created early inroads with 3-32, as too few Magpies capitalised on their time at the crease.

“He’s coming along really well, he’s just 18 but he’s got ability with both bat and ball,” acting captain Phil Lang said of the rookie who claimed the wickets Lachlan Vivian (7), Layton McCann (0) and Andrew Fergusson (5) to render the Magpies 3-47.

“He’ll serve up a few boundary balls but then he’ll bowl an absolute pearler and get someone like Fergusson out.

“He can be a bit inconsistent, but he does have matchwinning qualities.”

Magpies’ skipper Sam Hall led from the front with a patient 49 from 116 balls, while later in the day all-rounder Tom Mathieson accelerated the scoring rate with an enterprising 41 from 48 balls, in an innings comprising three sixes.

Blake Troy also contributed a patient, unbeaten 26.

“It’s great to be in the top four at this stage of the season,” Lang said. “We play Newtown & Chilwell in the last game, so it may come down to that match for fourth spot.”