Bryce McGain
YOUNG MEN IN A HURRY
Bryce McGain says he is living "every kid's dream right now" playing representative cricket with Victoria.
He may be 35 but he runs around with the enthusiasm and energy of a 25-year-old and has ambitions to "see how far I can take it".
One of the brightest of newcomers to the Vic scene, on and off the field - he works in banking outside cricket -- McGain is thrilled to be part of and contributing to Victoria's No.1 side.
He says as a leg-spinner, experience has been everything to him.
"(You get better) every year," he says. "Every session I try and get better and better.
I'm not sure if I have levelled out yet. It's just good to be more of a regular player in group and contributing."
Known as "Magoo", after Mr Magoo of cartoon fame (he wears glasses off the field), McGain is a Mornington boy who had seven years at Frankston Peninsula before having the last seven, including four as captain of Prahran.
"A lot of preparation goes into bowling a lot of overs to bowl in the right spot," he says.
"Your mental skills are important in cricket. You need to have faith in yourself to put ball where you want.
"I've watched enough of the cricket on television to see how the best do it. The bottom line is that they are more consistent that the others."
Asked about a tip for younger, aspiring leg-spinners he says learning to spin the ball as hard as possible is a key element to it all.
"You need to put as much work on the ball as you can. Not everyone can make the ball hum like Warnie, but they more work, the more revolutions you have on it, the more it is likely to do something on pitching."
He thanks those at Prahran for elevating him to the club's captaincy as it helped him grow as a player and a person.
"You communicate and talk to people and explain what they need to do," he says. "It helped me, too, to understand my own role a whole lot better."
While it was the last week of November before he played a club game back at Prahran, he trains with the club as often as possible, which can be difficult given his many responsibilities in cricket, finance and in home life too as a single Dad of an eight-year-old leg spinner to be, Liam.
"Liam is great fun and tries all sorts of deliveries. His action (for leggies) is a bit dubious right now but you never know they may soften what is illegal and what is not again!"
McGain started the first-class season with 14 wickets in the first four games, second only to Gerard Denton. He also played for the first time for his state at Ford Ranger Cup level.
