Macquille Walker says he is “blessed” to have produced a phenomenal man of the match display with the ball to help holders Bailey’s Bay retain the coveted Eastern Counties Cup at the weekend.

The 24-year-old seamer took six wickets for 22 runs in Bay’s rain-affected first-round clash with St David’s that fizzled out to a tame draw at Sea Breeze Oval on Saturday.

“This is the stuff you dream of coming up, watching people you look up to play in the Eastern Counties,” Walker told The Royal Gazette. “You dream of these things, so to actually do it is a blessing.

“I was very humble about it a couple of days leading up to the match. I was just repeating the mental things I had to work on and focus on and then executing it was the main game plan for the day.

“It just feels so good to have actually done it and I just want to give a big shout out to my family and team.”

Walker enjoyed early success with the new ball, as he dismissed top-order pair Oronde Bascome and OJ Pitcher cheaply during his opening spell.

However, the best was yet to come as he added the scalps of captain Justin Pitcher, Isaiah O’Brien, Seth Campbell and Aaron Paynter when he returned for a second spell to restrict St David’s to 105 in 29.2 overs.

“For me it was about being consistent, sticking to my line and length and then just hoping for the best,” Walker added. “I just stuck to the game plan and let the rest take care of itself.

“I wouldn’t say my performance had much to the do with the nature of the pitch or weather. I was more about consistency; you have to be consistent in what you do and nine times out of ten good results will come out of that.”

The bowler’s display surpassed his previous best showing in the competition of three for 32 against St David’s in last year’s final at Lord’s, where Bay won by 80 runs.

“It was actually very surprising,” Walker admits.

“My goal was to get three wickets and it just so happened I got three right off the bat.”

Walker, who plays football for Premier Division side Hamilton Parish, now hopes to carry his momentum into Somerset’s Cup Match trial on Saturday as he seeks to break into the champions’ team this year.

“Getting six wickets a couple of days before the trial is definitely a good confidence-booster,” he said.

“That’s the best way to boost my confidence going into the trial and I am all fired up and ready to go.”

Walker, who was a reserve for Somerset last year, has put in the hard work and commitment to enhance his chances of convincing the selectors he has what it takes this time around.

“It’s been something that I have really been making a lot of sacrifices for, so I am really going to try and get into the team this year,” he said.

“I will try and take more wickets as a strike bowler then we will see what happens and hopefully the cricket gods work with us this weekend for the trial. I feel good about my chances but I always try and stay humble about it.

“I have to take wickets, which is my role for the team, and I am pretty sure if I take two or more wickets it will make it very hard for the selectors this year.”