Scott Walter’s summer of dreams for University of Queensland in Bulls Masters Premier grade cricket

University of Queensland cricket coach Hamish Gardner has praised the work ethic and attention to detail of his extraordinary paceman Scott Walter who is bowling Uni to within sight of another premiership.

University of Queensland cricket coach Hamish Gardner has praised the work ethic and attention to detail of his extraordinary paceman Scott Walter who is bowling Uni to within sight of another premiership.

Only rain delays have halted Walter’s remarkable march through the summer which peaked in the last round against Redlands with a haul of 9-15.

The former Bulls left armer has now taken 58 wickets in all forms of cricket this season.

The astonishing haul will see him within sight of 600 first grade wickets by the time season 2020-21 rolls around.

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Gardner said the secret to Walter’s success was his understanding of his game.

“He is very meticulous with his preparation. He stands out from all the other fast bowlers that I have seen in terms of understanding what he has to do to perform,’’ Gardner said.

Uni bowler Scott Walter celebrates a wicket. (AAP Image/Renae Droop)

Gardner said coming through high performance system as a young man, Walter learned to manage his body.

As a result, in an era when bowler workloads were closely monitored, he was one of the last breeds of fast bowlers relying on his own knowledge of when to push on at the bowling crease, or when to have a break.

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“He is the last generation of that kind of bowler.,’’ Gardner said.

Gardner said Walter, a schoolteacher at St Laurence’s College, was also a wonderful influence on rising quicks Matt Willans and Will Sanders.

Scott Walter bowling for the Queensland Bulls against West Australia Warriors at the Gabba - Scott Walter during the Ford Ranger Cup.

“We’d love to have our young quicks playing as much cricket as possible alongside him.’’

Gardner said.

He said Walter was also a dedicated clubman.

“That is the biggest attribute. We would not have had the success we have in the last 10 years without Scotty.

“He is going to set some records in grade cricket that I don’t think will be broken.’’

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Walter said renewed fitness and the culture of his club were reasons for his summer of dreams.

The 30-year-old said advice from some sports scientists and fitness experts during the off-season had helped him shrug off “a couple of extended niggles’’.

He said exercises suggested by the fitness experts had “freed me up a lot more’’ and as a result he had “a lot more energy and an ability to train a bit more’’.

Walter said he was also enjoying this season for many reasons, most of which centred around playing with a “bunch of good blokes’’.

“There is a really good culture and you can feed off that,’’ he said.

Scott Walter in full stride. (AAP Image/Renae Droop)

He said the presence of young players like Will Sanders and the Clayton brothers meant things “don’t get too stale’’, while there was also a good blend of youth and experience.

Walter described his team mates as “decent people who don’t take themselves too seriously’’, while also rolling up the sleeves and working hard on game day and at training.

Walter played the last of his 11 games for Queensland in 2011 after a return of 34 wickets at 30.73 (strike rate of 50.2).

Walter’s season

Matches: 20

Wickets: 58

Average: 13.58

Strike rate: 24.47

Five wicket hauls: Three times this season and 27 across this career.

State career: 11 games for the Bulls, taking 34 wickets at 30.