Frankston Peninsula to give local talents a taste of Premier Cricket

With an eye to the future, Frankston Peninsula will pick four MPCA rising stars this weekend — including the Wedgwood Medal favourite.

Langwarrin leggie Matt Prosser bowls in last Saturday’s MPCA Provincial semi-final against Sorrento. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Frankston Peninsula is getting on the front foot in a bid to lure the best local talent.

As soon as last weekend’s MPCA semi-finals finished, Heat officials hit the phones and invited several players from the local competition to train — and play — in the remaining few weeks of the Premier Cricket season.

Langwarrin leg-spinner Matt Prosser, after a brilliant 41-wicket season in Provincial, took up the invitation and trained with the Heat on Tuesday.

He will make his Heat debut on Saturday — and could even slot straight into Frankston Peninsula’s First XI.

Dromana’s leading wicket taker Chris Vervoorst, Flinders teenage batsman Sam Gove and Baxter all-rounder Will Borthwick will also pull on the Heat colours on Saturday, in various XIs.

“They all trained on Tuesday night and they’ll all get picked,” Frankston Peninsula assistant coach Peter Buchanan said.

Matt Prosser took 41 wickets this season.. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Prosser last month played in a VCCL game, coached by former Test and Heat leg-spinner Bryce McGain, who urged the Heat to chase the 26-year-old.

“We’re not going to muck around, he’ll play in one of the top grades,” Buchanan said of Prosser.

“We’re not going to waste his time. We see him as the premier player out of the MPCA — he’ll probably win the (Wedgwood) medal.

“All I’ll say is that he won’t be in the lower grades.”

Prosser’s 41 wickets this season, at 7.44, included hauls of 5-4, 6-13 and 6-8 and helped Langwarrin into the finals.

Vervoorst took 26 wickets, at 11.12, for Dromana this season. A tall, quick-through-the-air leg-spinner, he’s impressed Heat officials during several training sessions.

Gove made a name for himself in junior representative games this summer.

Playing in Frankston Peninsula’s Dowling Shield side, the right-arm medium-pacer led the competition wicket list with 13 at 6.8, including a Round 5 bag of 5-29 against Casey South Peninsula. Gove is also a promising middle-order batsman and an exceptional fielder. He was part of Ormond’s Under 15 John Craig Shield premiership team.

Borthwick, a fast bowler who is also a talented batsman, played in Baxter’s First XI this season. He played in the Heat’s fourths last week, impressing with 2-25 and 7no.

Frankston Peninsula meets Essendon on Saturday, with the Heat’s firsts and thirds at home.