THE Hamilton and District Cricket Association (HDCA) has dominated selection in the Western Waves’ Team of the Year for the 2021-22 season.

The team has long been dominated by Warrnambool and District Cricket Association players with the HDCA players managing two or three spots each season, but this past summer the HDCA had eight players receive recognition for their performances.

The top six batsmen in the team all hail from HDCA clubs – the only association to have any batsmen score more than 500 runs for the summer.

The opening batters are Simon Close (Pigeon Ponds) and premiership winning College captain, Charles Murrie, who respectively posted 631 and 586 runs at the top of the order.

Both players were instrumental in their respective team’s success this summer.

Brendan Huf (St Andrew’s) is at number three and has been selected in the team several times.

This season the prolific Drews skipper posted another huge campaign, amassing 545 runs to underline his class.

Tobi Cook (Hamilton) gains his first region wide honour, dominating for the Blues with 523 runs mainly at number three, but he fills the number four spot in the waves team.

The young man has been a force within the HDCA for the past few summers and his game is now reaching full potential.

Hamish Bailey (College) has also been selected many times before, but this season his selection is even sweeter, as he topped his summer of 596 runs with his first ever A grade premiership.

Michael Brilley (Macarthur) has been chosen at number six and fills out the all-HDCA top order with his 457-run season that saw him guide the Demons to another grand final.

Brilley has featured among the top run getters every season for the past 10 years.

Matt Lyndsay (Macarthur) is the team wicketkeeper after the gloveman snared 22 dismissals (20c and two stumpings) for the summer in his first selection in this side.

He faced stiff opposition from other stumpers across the region but registering the highest number of dismissals ensured his selection.

Murray Staude (Pigeon Ponds) rounds out the eight HDCA players selected in the team after taking 31 wickets with his left arm medium fast deliveries.

He also backed up these wickets with 348 runs to be a force for his team with both bat and ball.

Chris Vogels, Tony Caccaviello, Fraser Lucas and Chaminda Gamage make up the rest of the team.

The players will be honoured at the Western Waves’ annual presentation day on July 31 at Monivae College.

The Team of the Year will be presented along with awards for the various male and female age group winners to be announced.