Belgrave Cricket Club’s Aaron Brunner hammers three centuries in three innings to start Ferntree Gully and District Cricket Association season

After a winter’s break, one top-order bat has returned to the crease refreshed and has made a start to summer few could match.

Belgrave’s Aaron Brunner has made three centuries from three starts this summer. Pictures: Belgrave Cricket Club and Field of View Photography

Taking a winter’s break to freshen up has paid dividends for Belgrave's Aaron Brunner, the Magpies skipper starting the Ferntree Gully and District Cricket Association Reeves Shield summer with three centuries on the trot.

For the past three years the top order bat as gone straight from a Melbourne summer to play cricket in England during the northern hemisphere summer, opting to break the cycle this year and take a rest from the game.

Despite wet weather hampering a lot of Melbourne cricket so far this summer, Brunner started the season with 108 against Johnson Park at Fairpark Reserve in round one before backing it up with an unbeaten 135 at home against Upper Ferntree Gully the next round. After a Round 3 washout, he was back on his home deck in Round 4 for an even 100 against Upwey Tecoma.

So far, Brunner has logged 343 runs at 171.50.

“I haven’t done anything too differently,” he said of the immediate pre-season. “But in the past I’ve gone to England to play. Last year I stayed in Melbourne and enjoyed the winter off.

“It definitely takes a lot out of you as a player, you need to stop and have some time away from the game.”

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Aaron Brunner goes on the attack for Belgrave. Pictures: Belgrave Cricket Club and Field of View Photography

A Western Bulldogs member, it’s been a few years since he’s been able to throw his support behind the side.

Brunner made amends this season.

“I’m originally from Perth, so I’ve never really been able to see them play all that much,” he said.

And playing as a virtual full-timer for a few years on the trot, Brunner has a feel for what a number of Australian internationals have gone through of late — Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell and Will Pucovski have all recently withdrawn from state and national selection citing mental health concerns.

“I think with all the cricket they pay, freshening up is always good," he said. “Just spending a bit of time away from the game.”

While delighted with his start to the season, Brunner said he was aware that a batsman is only as good as his next innings.

“Each week you start again, the weeks previous are irrelevant,” he said. “You’ve got to start again. You’re on zero and all it takes is one ball.”

Brunner is enjoying his third season in the FTGCDA with Belgrave putting together a handy squad that currently tops the Reeves Shield ladder.

“I'm really enjoying it, I’ve got a lot of mates here,” he said. “It’s a good team we’ve put together, we all knew each other when we were at other clubs.

“Making the perfect start, individually and as a team, is great.”

Belgrave takes on reigning premiers The Basin at Batterham Reserve in a two-dayer starting this Saturday.