Melbourne Stars quick Brody Couch hopes to use rough season for good

After a breakthrough last summer, things didn’t go according to plan for Brody Couch this season. But the fast bowler is certain he is better for the experience.

Right now, Brody Couch thinks he is a much better bowler than he was 12 months ago.

The Geelong quick appeared destined to keep rising when the last cricket season wound up, having burst onto the Big Bash scene with the Melbourne Stars and earned a Sheffield Shield debut.

Celebrating a wicket with Geelong.

But the career progression hasn’t come this season given Couch has not played for Victoria in either the shield or in a one-day game and was called upon just once by the Stars as they crashed to the wooden spoon.

The 23-year-old spent much of the season working on his whirlwind bowling action and took just five wickets in his first six Premier Cricket games as the Cats fell from premiership contender to missing the finals all together.

Despite taking seven wickets in Victoria’s penultimate Second XI game, Couch was overlooked for the teams’s final match against Tasmania.

Couch’s success with the Stars last summer didn’t carry on. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The Warrnambool product’s next match could come in the United States, with Couch hoping to play in the Major League T20 competition over winter.

“It was a little bit tricky (the season), I think now I have got a taste of what it is all about, I have a hunger to play every game and I think across the course of the Big Bash it just got harder because I wanted to play and thought I could really contribute,” he said.

“That was probably the most frustrating part of it but I was just trying to embrace this part of my journey and put a positive spin on things. I feel like I have done fairly well but it’s just sort of waiting for that next opportunity now.

“I think I have worked a lot on my action and my craft and I think I have improved quite a lot but I just haven’t been able to implement that in first class games at that higher level.”

Celebration for a Sheffield Shield scalp last summer. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Couch worked closely with Stars mental skills coach David Reid on breaking training and games down into small goals to stay away from the frustration of not playing or not taking big wicket hauls.

But it all comes back to performance, with the message from Victorian selectors clear that wickets at Premier or Second XI level are the best currency to earn a spot in the state side.

“I’ve tried to make the most of the time I have when I’m not on the field and put it to good use,” Couch said.

“Basically I have spent a lot of time on goal setting stuff and probably breaking down what I want to achieve as a cricketer into day-to-day things that can help me get where I want to go.

“I think as a youngster you probably get your hopes set on playing for Australia or taking X-amount of wickets and if you get your hopes caught up in that too much, it can be a pretty negative thing.”

At the crease for Geelong. Picture Mark Wilson

Alongside the personal difficulties this season has been Geelong’s poor campaign, with the Cats slumping to a 14th placed-finish.

Couch said the club’s “performances just haven’t been quite up to par”.

“I still have a lot of motivation after being part of that losing grand final side to Carlton in my first proper year,” he said.

“To have the list we do and not make finals is pretty disappointing personally but I think that is just the way it goes sometimes.

“We just haven’t clicked on the field and either our batting or our bowling hasn’t been where it needs to be to win games.”

Originally published as Melbourne Stars quick Brody Couch hopes to use rough season for good