NIRRANDA export Brody Couch has played a role in what is fast becoming a famous Test match series between Australia and India.
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The 19-year-old all-rounder, who now plays for Geelong in Victorian Premier Cricket, got the chance to be a net bowler on day three of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Couch got the call up through his involvement in the Victorian Country under 19s squad.
His time in the spotlight at the MCG included bowling to Indian Test players Parthiv Patel and Umesh Yadav.
“It was great to get the opportunity, I normally don’t get nervous bowling in the nets but this was a bit different,” Couch said.
“I just tried to relax and enjoy it, it was a lot of fun and a great experience.
“The Indian players and coaches were really good, a couple of them gave me a few tips on my bowling action which was great.”
As well as bowling to Umesh Yadav, Couch also bowled alongside the Indian paceman, who grabbed the ball after his stint at the batting crease.
Umesh has 119 wickets from 41 Tests and played in the Perth Test in this series.
Couch also had the chance to watch Australian batsman Peter Handscomb up close.
Handscomb, who was dropped for the Boxing Day Test, was batting in the net next to where Couch was bowling.
It wasn’t Couch’s first brush with international cricketers, having played against Glenn Maxwell in a Victorian Premier Cricket game last season.
The MCG outing is the latest step in the right-arm medium bowler and right-hand batsman’s climb to the top of the cricket tree.
Couch is in his second season at Geelong and has played every game in the Cats’ first XI.
He has taken five wickets in the first eight games and has also made a mark playing for Geelong in the Vic Super Slam Twenty20 competition.
Couch has seven wickets at an average of just 11 in his three games in the shortest format.
Through his time playing under age representative cricket with the Victorian Country team, Couch has been up against or teamed with a number of players who have already played Big Bash or first-class cricket.
These include Jason Sangha, Jack Edwards, Lloyd Pope, Will Sunderland, Max Bryant and Mackenzie Harvey.
While this elevation to the next level for talented players in his age group shows a path is in place for Couch to follow, the modest teenager is not getting ahead of himself.
“Playing at Geelong is giving me a lot of opportunity to grow my game, both bowling and batting,” Couch said.
“I’m moving down to Geelong to go to University so that will fit in well with cricket.”
