Having claimed a combined 47 wickets for the season, Torquay’s dominant left-arm finger spinning duo of Ash Russell and Terry Hill have finished first and second in the GCA2 First XI bowling award for 2021-22.

In a remarkable outcome, Russell’s 21 wickets at an average of 10.904 for the home and away season pipped his captain Hill by just 0.057.Hill claimed 26 wickets, but his average of 10.961 was marginally higher.

Russell was remarkably consistent throughout the season, claiming at least one wicket in 11 of his 12 matches.Among the highlights, an extraordinary fortnight in rounds three and four where he twice spun the Tigers to victory with spells of 1-9 from 10 overs against Geelong City and 5-21 from 10 overs against St Peters.