VCCL: Old Peninsula’s Tom La Brooy impresses in state trial game

Four MPCA players enhanced their reputations in a Victorian Country Cricket League game at the Junction Oval.

Leg-spinner Matt Prosser bowls in the VCCL East versus West game at the Junction Oval on Sunday.

The best country cricketers in Victoria were out to impress at the pristine Junction Oval on Sunday — and four players from the Mornington Peninsula more then held their own.

Langwarrin all-rounder Matt Prosser, Dromana batsman Kierran Voelkl, Heatherhill young gun Aidan Lenehan and Old Peninsula keeper-batsman Tom La Brooy had the chance to show off their talents in an East versus West 40-over-per-side contest.

La Brooy grabbed the attention of scouts with a blazing 58 off 43 deliveries (with 5 fours and 2 sixes) from No. 8 for VCCL East.

Going in at 6-106, his clean-hitting display lifted the East side to 9-218 off 40 overs.

La Brooy capped a terrific day with four catches behind the stumps and was named man-of-the-match for the East side.

Tom La Brooy keeping for Old Peninsula this season.

Lenehan made a polished 24 and combined with La Brooy for a vital 55-run partnership as the East rallied.

Even better was to come for Lenehan, who captured 3-28 off six overs to underline his exciting potential.

Aidan Lenehan in the VCCL East uniform.

Voelkl batted at No.5 for the East side and made 26 (34 balls, three boundaries) before being bowled.

Prosser, who has taken 35 wickets (at 6.20) in MPCA Provincial this season, played for the West side and took 1-37 off seven overs with his leg-spin and made seven with the bat at No.5.

Prosser’s West side won the game, replying with 8-220 off 37.1 overs, thanks largely to Grovedale batsman Jordan Moran’s 86.

Former Australian Test players Bobby Quiney and Bryce McGain coached the East and West sides respectively.

The match, organised by the Victorian Country Cricket League, will be used as a way to scout talent for future representative matches next summer.

La Brooy said he didn’t put any pressure on himself to perform and thoroughly enjoyed the day.

“I didn’t really go into it thinking I’ve got to impress anybody because I haven’t had a great year,’’ he said.

“I was just going to have a bit of fun at the Junction.

“The facilities are phenomenal and we got coached by Bobby Quiney and Bryce McGain, and that was unreal. It was just a well-put-on day I think.’’

Matt Prosser bowling for the VCCL West side at the Junction Oval.

La Brooy, 24, spent four seasons at Frankston Peninsula as a teenager before returning to the MPCA and is unsure if he will have another crack at it.

“I don’t know. I’m pretty happy where I’m at, mate,’’ he said.

“Having done Premier Cricket before, it’s a full-on commitment to do and I don’t want to put my work (as a chippy) on the backburner to have a crack.

“And if I was to have a crack I’d have a proper crack, being a bit older and mature I’d do it properly.

“I haven’t thought too much about that really, it was just a nice opportunity to be out on a nice ground playing turf cricket.’’

Matt Prosser has taken 35 wickets, at 6, for Langwarrin.

Prosser said he was happy with the way he bowled and relished being coached by fellow leggie McGain.

“I reckon I bowled two bad balls in my seven overs,” he said.

“Apart from that I was landing it really consistently.

“I was chatting to Bryce while we were batting and just really trying to pick his brain and asking a lot of questions.

“The first thing he said to me was, ‘is that your strength — your consistency in landing it?’.

“I said, ‘yeah, I suppose that’s how I’ve been getting a lot of my wickets this season, just bowling really consistently and in the one-day format they’re coming at me sort of thing’.”

A couple of Premier Cricket clubs have shown interest in Prosser, 25. He will train with Casey South Melbourne on Tuesday.

“I thought, ‘why not go and give it a crack and see’...at least then I’ve got a bit of a feel for it,” he said.

“I haven’t really thought about anything beyond this season yet.”