Premier Cricket: Prahran’s Andrew Perrin selected in Victoria’s Second XI
After a frustrating 2018-19, Prahran’s Andrew Perrin is firing on all cylinders this season and eyeing a return to the state ranks after being called up to represent Victoria’s Second XI.
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Andrew Perrin’s bid to reignite his professional career has received a shot in the arm with the Prahran paceman earning a call up to Victoria’s Second XI side.
Perrin is representing the Vics against ACT/NSW Country in the ongoing four-day fixture at Casey Fields, drawing the attention of selectors after displaying consistent form for his new Premier Cricket club.
The 29-year-old last represented the state’s second XI in 2015-16 during a golden summer, where he played a key role in Fitzroy Doncaster’s premiership and collected a remarkable 50 wickets at 10.62 apiece.
He then secured a contract with Tasmania, making three Sheffield Shield appearances over two seasons.
After a difficult 2018-19 punctuated by injury at the Lions, Perrin made the move to the True Blues and has re-established himself as one of the competition’s leading bowlers.
The Prahran spearhead has grabbed 21 wickets at 16.6 this season and decimated ladder-leader Melbourne University in Round 12, returning 6-37 from 17.1 overs.
“As long as I’m playing Premier Cricket … that is the goal along with premiership success and team success,” Perrin said when asked if he harboured ambitions of a second crack at state level.
“I still believe I’ve got three or four good years in me, so why not?
“(Victoria Second XI selection) was a bit of a surprise, but it is nice to be recognised for a good couple of performances.”
Perrin has been a key inclusion for the True Blues, who desperately needed a strike bowler to climb the ladder.
After missing finals the past three seasons, they have lifted themselves into top-eight contention, but Perrin played down his part in the club’s improvement.
“I’ve been OK,” he said.
“I’m still searching for my best, as a few other players at Prahran are, but we’re going along pretty nicely.
“We think if we can improve in the areas we need to, we can shake the finals up a bit.”
Perrin said he never doubted he could return to his best after a forgettable campaign last season.
Back and side strain setbacks limited him to nine games and eight wickets and he also missed two matches because of a knee injury earlier this summer.
“I always believed in myself, it was just a matter of getting my body right and sorting a few things off the field like work and that transition between being a professional player and getting back into the hustle and bustle of life,” Perrin said.
“Once all that settled down, you focus back on your cricket and good things come.
“Besides the knee injury, it’s been great. I had a pretty big pre-season with Prahran – we started pretty early.
“I think that’s definitely paying off now – not just for me but a lot of our blokes. We’re feeling fit and fresh at this stage of the year, which is pretty rare.”