At the Christmas-New Year break eight of the BDCA's top 10 wicket-takers are spin bowlers.

Between them those eight spin bowlers - Strathdale-Maristians' Cameron Taylor (17), Strathfieldsaye's Darcy Hunter (15) and Savith Priyan (12), Eaglehawk's Russell Stockdale (14), Bendigo United brothers Will Thrum (12) and Jake Thrum (11), Huntly-North Epsom captain Elliott Massina (11) and Sandhurst's Ben Evans (11) - have combined for 93 wickets across the first six rounds.

The only non-spin bowlers to feature in the BDCA's top-10 wicket-takers at the now-extended mid-season break are two of the competition's gun all-rounders - Strathdale-Maristians' Sam Johnston (12) and Golden Square's Scott Trollope (11).

It's no surprise to see the Suns' four-time BDCA Cricketer of the Year winner Taylor at the top of the wicket table.

The leg-spinner in his first summer at the helm of the Suns has been the BDCA's leading wicket-taker for three of the past five seasons and leads the way this season with 17, including two hauls of four (4-18 v Sandhurst and 4-30 v Huntly-North Epsom).

While Taylor has been a long-time dominant force with his leggies in the BDCA - he's closing in on the 400 milestone for the Suns - the Jets' Hunter is in the infancy of his first XI career, but is already making his mark on the competition.

The teenage leggie has claimed 15 wickets, including the competition's best bag so far of 6-29 against White Hills in round one.

"Darcy has been going really well and it started with that six-for against White Hills in round one," Strathfieldsaye captain Ben Devanny said this week.

"On the days when he has been really good he has really given the ball a rip and taken wickets for fun.

"He got a lot of confidence from that round one game against White Hills; he got a wicket in his first over and just carried on from there."

Hunter and left-armer Savith Priyan are forming a formidable spinning duo for the third-placed Jets.

With Priyan having taken 12 wickets, he and Hunter have a combined 27-348 from 83 overs for the Jets.

"Savith has been great and just keeps doing his thing. He's a bowler I'll look to use just as much on a flat deck when there's not much turn because he just doesn't bowl a bad ball and can tie an end up," Devanny said.

Priyan's 12 scalps features one of only three five-wicket bags taken so far this season, with his standout performance 5-48 when the Jets broke power side Strathdale's 32-game unbeaten streak in round three.

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Sandwiched between Hunter and Priyan on the wicket-taking table is Eaglehawk's English leg-spinner Russell Stockdale with 14 and the best average (10.00) of the BDCA's top 10 bowlers.

"Russell obviously plays a big part for us and plays the role really well that's given to him week to week... whether that's to dry the runs up and build pressure or attack and take a few wickets," Hawks' captain Nick Farley said

Integral in the rise of Bendigo United this season from four years of rebuilding to premiership contenders has been the role played with the ball by spinners Jake and Will Thrum.

The Thrum brothers have 23 wickets between them, with Will snaring 12 and left-arm finger spinner Jake picking up 11.

"Jake has been great for us; he comes on fairly early in the day bowling first change. He has great control and is very smart with the ball having been around for a while now," Bendigo United captain Clayton Holmes said.

Jake's 11 wickets includes nine top-five scalps - the equal most in the competition with the Suns' Taylor also dismissing nine top-five batsmen.

"He's getting good players out and bowling a lot of the time when he can only have two fielders out, so it's a credit to him and his craft," Holmes said.

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Will Thrum, an off-spinner, is in his first season with the Redbacks and had an immediate impact with his new team with a crucial 3-21 against Kangaroo Flat in a round one win that set the tone for Bendigo United's solid season.

"He's still fairly young and credit to him in his first season in Bendigo; he has bowled really well and consistent," Holmes said.

"Like Jake, he's getting good batsmen out as well, and especially through those middle overs where they are looking to go after him, he is holding his nerve really well."

At Sandhurst, coach Dylan Gibson predicted a big season from Ben Evans and six rounds in the young leggie is impressing with 11 wickets for the fifth-placed Dragons, who are proving to be a surprise packet at 4-2.

"Ben is one of the players we earmarked for a big year and we believe he'll be a genuine star," Gibson said.

"For Ben, it all comes back to the work he puts in at training... he just works his backside off.

"He'll bowls 10 times as many balls as anyone else at training and then on off days you will often see him in the nets at Maryborough where he lives bowling balls.

"There's a definite correlation between his work ethic and the way he's bowling now on a Saturday."

1 - Cameron Taylor

Strathdale-Maristians

Wickets: 17 Overs: 50

Avr: 10.35 BB: 4-18

Strike: 17.65 Econ: 3.52

............................................

2 - Darcy Hunter

Strathfieldsaye

Wickets: 15 Overs: 39

Avr: 11.87 BB: 6-29

Strike: 15.60 Econ: 4.56

............................................

3 - Russell Stockdale

Eaglehawk

Wickets: 14 Overs: 40

Avr: 10.00 BB: 4-13

Strike: 17.14 Econ: 3.50

............................................

4 - Savith Priyan

Strathfieldsaye

Wickets: 12 Overs: 44

Avr: 14.17 BB: 5-48

Strike: 22.00 Econ: 3.86

............................................

5 - Will Thrum

Bendigo United

Wickets: 12 Overs: 46

Avr: 15.75 BB: 3-21

Strike: 23.00 Econ: 4.11

............................................

6 - Sam Johnston

Strathdale-Maristians

Wickets: 12 Overs: 51

Avr: 16.33 BB: 3-39

Strike: 25.50 Econ: 3.84

............................................

7 - Elliott Massina

Huntly-North Epsom

Wickets: 11 Overs: 37

Avr: 11.45 BB: 4-28

Strike: 20.18 Econ: 3.41

............................................

8 - Ben Evans

Sandhurst

Wickets: 11 Overs: 39

Avr: 16.45 BB: 4-33

Strike: 21.27 Econ: 4.64

............................................

9 - Jake Thrum

Bendigo United

Wickets: 11 Overs: 50

Avr: 16.64 BB: 4-27

Strike: 27.27 Econ: 3.66

............................................

10 - Scott Trollope

Golden Square

Wickets: 11 Overs: 49

Avr: 18.09 BB: 3-30

Strike: 26.73 Econ: 4.06

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