Blake Thomson has earned selection in the Victoria Premier Cricket team of the season for the first time.
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The former East Ballarat junior averaged 52.42 runs for Melbourne to be selected as a specialist batsman in the 12-strong side.
He said he was over the moon at his selection.
"A few of the boys around the club new I was pretty high in the run-scoring around the league and they had been joking around about it," he said.
"But it was still a surprise and it's always good to get a bit of recognition for what you have done."
It's always good to get a bit of recognition for what you have done."
- Blake Thomson
Melbourne came within one game of the Victoria Premier grand final before the season ended following the outbreak of COVID-19.
After tuning into the Cricket Victoria end of season awards ceremony via Youtube, Thomson got the news he had been waiting for.
"I only found out it was on ten minutes before it began," he said.
"My coach Glen Vague rang me and wished me luck for the night, and after I tuned in they read my name out."
Thomson made 629 runs over the summer, including two centuries - 108 against St Kilda and 101 not out against Frankston Peninsula.
He added another 90 in a qualifying final victory against Footscray.
Thomson said his century against St Kilda set the tone for his strong play going forward.
"The game against St Kilda was early in the season, and was definitely a confidence builder," he said.
"The wicket wasn't a great one and we were chasing a good total, so that was a big help for the rest of the year."
Thomson last played with East Ballarat in 2013, when he lined up both the under-16s and firsts.
His latest appearances in the Ballarat Cricket Association were beside his brother Darcy Thomson in two twenty20 matches for Mt Clear in 2017-18.
Thomson played in two one-day games for Victoria in the same season, as well as having a top score of 85 for the Bushrangers in six interstate second eleven appearances.
After a disappointing year with Victoria in the 2019-20 season, he said everything clicked this past summer.
"Having someone like Cameron White as your captain gives you freedom to play how to want to play," he said.
"He backed me, and having the all-clear to play how I wanted to play every week helped when going out to bat."
Thomson has since turned his attention to the Ballarat football League where he plays seniors with Redan.
"Hopefully we get a game," he said.
