Premier Cricket 2018-19: Prahran’s Nathan McNally announces retirement

Former Prahran captain Nathan McNally has retired from Premier Cricket and deserves much praise for his distinguished stint in Victoria’s pre-eminent competition.

Nathan McNally enjoyed a fine career at Prahran. Picture: AAP/ Chris Eastman

Former skipper Nathan McNally feels fortunate to have played alongside some decorated figures over the past six seasons at Prahran.

He lists David Hussey, who represented Australia 108 times in one-day and Twenty20 matches, Sam Coates, Steve Seymour and Neil Schlittler as the pick of the bunch.

OFF-SEASON HQ: LATEST COACH, PLAYER MOVES IN LOCAL FOOTY

TARGET 1000 CAMPAIGN: HOW YOU CAN HELP COBURG VFL

WHERE TRAVIS CLOKE WILL MAKE CAMEO LOCAL FOOTY APPEARANCE

WE LIST THE MOST-IMPROVED PLAYERS IN PREMIER CRICKET

WHY EX-AFL STAR HAS RETURNED TO HIS ROOTS IN COACHING ROLE

THE PREMIER CRICKETER WHO REPORTS ON CRICKET FOR A LIVING

“It’s been pretty cool,” McNally said.

“I’m from Christchurch, New Zealand, and I didn’t ever imagine I’d be playing with guys like that.

“Just your teammates and the friends you’ve made across the journey is probably the biggest thing for me.”

But McNally, who has called time on his Premier Cricket career owing to family commitments, deserves much praise for his distinguished stint in Victoria’s pre-eminent competition.

The leg-spinning all-rounder, who captained Prahran’s First XI in 2017-18, was denied a send-off match after playing his farewell game in the seconds.

While he described the circumstances as a “bit of a shame”, he said it was time for young spinners Blake Parsons and James Boyce to gain more opportunities.

Nathan McNally searches for a wicket. Picture: Hamish Blair

“I guess taking on the captaincy last season, I thought I’d be able to manage it all OK,” McNally said.

“But the juggling act of work, family and cricket has just become too much.

“At Christmas time when I looked at the schedule after Christmas and the amount of Sunday games we had, it just sort of got to a point where I was like, ‘I just can’t do this anymore. It’s just not fair on the family.’

“I’m taking a bit more of a focus on work as well.

“I’ve had a good run, but the timing’s right.”

McNally arrived at the True Blues in 2013 after three seasons with Eildon Park and quickly nailed down his spot in the side.

He was good enough to earn selection for New Zealand in the junior World Cup in Bangladesh in 2003, but a fractured arm quashed his hopes of representing his home country.

A proficient slow bowler and also a handy batsman, he has been a reliable performer.

He said Prahran’s reverse outright win over Monash Tigers in a memorable 2015-16 quarter-final was among his highlights.

The True Blues have missed finals the past three seasons, but McNally is confident success is imminent.

“We’ve always had such a good team on paper, we’ve probably just lacked consistency throughout the whole time I’ve been at Prahran,” he said.

“It would have been nice to go further into finals, but I think the club’s in a good position now with good coaching structure and obviously Bryce McGain at the helm as director of cricket.”