Harvey-Benger’s Matthew Chave records more than 1000 player points in 2021/22 BDCA second-grade competition

Harvey-Benger’s Matthew Chave has continued his domination of the BDCA second-grade competition, becoming the only man to manage more than 1000 champion player points in this year’s league before finals. After impressing since he joined the club in 2019, Chave had his best year yet, making 412 runs at an average of just under 30 and taking 29 wickets at 16. The 26-year-old, who made his WACA first-grade debut for South Perth in 2019 before relocating, said he had found a new home at the Harvey-based club. “I moved down to Harvey with my wife, and to come to a great club that has supported me and given me the opportunity to be successful is awesome,” Chave said. “It has been a move that has certainly reinvigorated me as a cricketer and as a person.” The leg spinner and middle-order batter compiled four scores of over 40 — including an impressive 90 against Hay Park — and took four wickets three times throughout the year. Harvey-Benger failed to make finals in 2021/2022 despite finishing second on the ladder last year and Chave said while he was happy with his own achievements, he would prefer to have been back playing finals cricket. “(It has been a) difficult year for the team — individual success is nice, but it would have been nice to perform better as a team,” he said. “I’m really happy with my year, I played pretty well and am happy with how consistent I was this season. “I think next year if we can get everyone on the park and fit and healthy, I see no reason why we can’t get back up the ladder and try (to) have a tilt at competing with the more successful teams.” It is natural for a player of Chave’s quality to attract attention from other clubs in the South West, but the Harvey-Benger star said he would stay put. “I don’t see myself going anywhere else, there have been opportunities to go elsewhere, but I am definitely not entertaining any of those,” he said. “I love playing at Harvey-Benger and see myself as a Harvey-Benger player for life.”