Michaela Meade
Druids’ captain-coach Michael Hay has been awarded the best and fairest award for the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Senior Division.
The West Footscray local won the Roy Paxino trophy for the Best Player in Senior Division last week following a strong season on the bat.
Hay polled 26 votes, two clear of second place.
“I was very happy with it,” he said.
“I knew going into it that it’d be pretty close.
“I was pretty wrapped when I heard I’d won.
“Going into the last two games, I knew Chris [Williams from Strathmore Cricket Club] and I were close.
“I had two unlucky games as well, so I didn’t know how it would play out.”
Hay became the club’s first senior division Paxino medallist, and joins a list of former international, state and premier cricketers.
Hay performed well over the season, batting an average of 57.
The young star quipped that the accumulated 516 runs could be better.
“More runs are always better,” he said.
“I enjoyed [the season].
“There were a few games where I knew I was feeling good in the crease, but I also knew there was a lot of work to do.
“One-dayers are quite good, I enjoy them.
“It just meant that during the season you had to work pretty hard to make sure you did well.”
Hay has the fifth most runs of all players in the competition.
He was not able to perform as well with wickets, clocking 12 across all formats, and said the team’s performance was not ideal either.
“Going into the season we knew that it was going to be a pretty good challenge,” Hay said.
“Shane [Windridge] and Leigh [Wilson] were the only ones above 25 [years of age].
“We backed the youth in and got some experience behind them.
“We won the first three games, but it sort of stopped there for us this season.
“The juniors will definitely develop a lot more.
“It was a big learning curve for all of us, but there are good things to come.”
The Druids finished second bottom, three points above Aberfeldie.
Hay said he had clear goals in mind for the next season of VTCA.
“Another best and fairest would be great, although it’s a lot of hard work,” he said.
“One of my goals would be to stay up there in the runs.”
“More wickets would also be good.
“ I think it’ll be a stronger comp as well… it’ll be a good test.”
