The reigning representative player of the year has missed nine games due to a late return from overseas, as well as a long-running back complaint.

“People probably didn’t realise how important he is to our club and our first grade side,” Jaensch said.

“We didn’t have what I regard as the best spinner in the competition for the first half of the year.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him but when we don’t go that well, he probably doesn’t bowl that well.”

The off-spinner strangled Albury’s finals hopes by taking 3-30 from 23 overs.

“He’s consistent, that’s the biggest thing and when you bowl in partnerships, that builds pressure,” Jaensch said.

Interestingly, Belvoir smashed 137 from only 16 overs in its second innings, and that extra 1.37 points meant the difference between a fourth-place finish and fifth, which is an automatic season-ender with a finals loss.

Meanwhile, North Albury’s Ash Borella has handed St Patrick’s Jarryd Hatton extraordinary praise.

“That final over in the match was the quickest I’d faced,” he said.

“I’ve faced (English first-class cricketers) James Weighell and Paul Coughlin and he was a lot quicker than those two.”

And Tallangatta’s Sam Stephens produced his quickest spell in taking 6-40 from 20 overs against Wodonga Raiders.