THE Hamilton and District Cricket Association (HDCA) has finished its Melbourne Country Week campaign with a better than even win-loss ledger, losing just one of its three games for the week.

HDCA coach, Nic Cullinane was stoked with the performance, falling just short of Friday’s final.

“We were sensational, it is the best performance we’ve had for a long time,” he said.

“We dropped the guy who made 100 twice, so if we had have taken our catches, it could have been a different story on Monday.

“The third game was absolutely disgraceful, was never going to be a game of cricket there and we were supposed to play the team who eventually finished last

“I was incredibly impressed with everyone, they all performed in some way or another, and to finish third and just miss out on a final, they all performed really well.”

With different standouts in each game, the younger squad taken this year repaid the faith by selectors, as they look to build year on year.

“I think they all just performed, I’d never seen Carey Megaw and he was really good, I felt they all had the ability and they proved they did,” Cullinane said.

“The culture we have got, Hamilton isn’t a laughing stock and we are taken seriously by each of the other teams.

“It (the results) validates the competition we have got and there are kids coming through who are definitely of this standard.”

It was a tough start, facing off against against eventual finalist, Wangaratta and District Cricket Association, at Merv Hughes Oval with the Hurricanes forced into the field to open the week’s proceedings on Monday.

Wangaratta was carried to 8-303 from its 50 overs off the back of an unbeaten 129 from Pranav Menon, with Simon Close the standout bowler for Hamilton with three, along with two scalps for Henry Bensch.

The run chase was at a slower pace with the HDCA focusing on batting out the innings.

Carey Megaw posted an unbeaten half century, while Simon Sharrock posted 40 at the top of the order, as the Hurricanes were eventually bowled out in the final over of the innings for 223.

Next up was a match-up against Bellarine Peninsula and former HDCA player, Brandon Ross, at Hogans Road Reserve in Hoppers Crossing.

Once again, the toss was called correctly by the opposing captain and the Hurricanes were forced to chase a total in Tuesday’s clash.

It was a steady start from Bellarine, scoring at just over three runs an over until the final ball of the 15th over saw Megaw get the first breakthrough of the game.

A 67-run second wicket partnership kept the Hurricanes working hard in the field, with the top three batsmen combining for 150, but once the HDCA got through the top order, wickets fell regularly to see Bellarine all out for 216 in 44 overs.

Hamish Cook and Bensch each finished with four wickets to balance the result ledger for their team.

The Hurricanes’ run chase offered the biggest individual highlight of the week, as Sharrock opened the batting and took after the Bellarine bowlers, racing to an unbeaten half century at a strike rate of 170, before pushing on and posting triple figures off 86 balls, a knock which included 14 boundaries and three maximums.

Just two runs later he was dismissed, and along with a cameo of 30 from 22 balls from Hurricanes skipper, Tobi Cook, the HDCA reached 4-219 inside 35 overs to have an early finish to the day.

Round three eventually turned into an unofficial bye with the Strathmore game unable to go ahead on Wednesday.

The association was not informed of a game being scheduled and so a pitch wasn’t prepared, costing both teams a chance at victory.

A day four clash against Portland looked likely to be the Hurricanes’ swansong for the 2023 campaign, with the HDCA forced to right all the way to the end to claim victory.

Cook finally won his first toss of the week and elected to bat first, and with Close unavailable for the game, it was his Pigeon Ponds teammate, Peter Staude, who filled the void at the top of the order alongside Sharrock.

The pair put on 23 before the centurion from earlier in the week was dismissed for 18, with Rick Killey (46) and Jack Austin (43) setting up a competitive score.

It was Hamish Cook’s unbeaten run-a-ball 62 at number nine along with 22 from Harrison Wood which pushed the total up to 9-266.

An early wicket in the second innings had Hamilton up and about, but Will Hardie kept the Hurricanes in check, posting 93 before eventually finding Killey in the field off Harrison Wood.

The next highest score was an unbeaten 31 from Stephen O’Brien, as Portland was eventually bowled out in the final over of the game for 225.

Killey bagged four wickets to finish the week on a high.

Overall, the Hurricanes finished third behind Warrnambool and Wangaratta and should be buoyed by their performances during the week, as the squad looks to build on this week’s efforts going into the 2024 campaign.

Sharrock finished with 140 runs for the week, while Bensch and Hamish each finished the week with six wickets.