Victoria quick Mitch Perry reflects on a "disappointing" season and identifies his plan to elevate his game
Unplayable Podcast: Perry's push to take 'next step'
For a season that started with so much promise, Mitch Perry was left unsatisfied with his 2023-24 campaign.
It began in late August with two appearances for Australia A and the quick got results, taking 12 wickets in two four-day matches against New Zealand A.
Eight wickets in the first three Sheffield Shield games of the season was a solid return too, especially considering Victoria lost their first two matches by an innings.
But there wouldn't be an explosion of wickets for the 24-year-old, and having to warm the Sydney Sixers bench for the entire Big Bash, he couldn't find the rhythm in the four games after Christmas either.
After making the past two Shield finals, the Vics lost their final two matches to Tasmania and Western Australia, fumbling the chance to appear in another decider.
"(The season) didn't go the way I would have liked personally, and then team wise, it wasn't a nice ending to the year," Perry told the Unplayable Podcast.
Unplayable Podcast state previews
- WA preview with Lance Morris
- SA preview with Jordan Buckingham
- TAS preview with Charlie Wakim
- QLD preview with Mitch Swepson
"I thought I started the year quite well, bowled nicely against New Zealand A and set the start of the season up really well.
"I felt like I was in a really good space.
"I probably started to get a few niggles just before and after Christmas.
"But that's cricket … that's the next learning step for me; how can I bowl (when I'm) a little bit underdone and still put in a good output?
"But yeah, I can't really blame the niggles because I didn't bowl that great."
With fast bowling spots in the national team as hard to earn as ever, Perry knows he must produce a full season of performances to thrust himself into the Test conversation.
But he also knows he's not too far off.
He has, after all, played three times for Australia A and gave Steve Smith a working over in just his third Shield match (although Perry concedes the pitch was "zipping around everywhere").
"I haven't really dominated a whole season yet," Perry said.
"So that's probably the next thing.
"How can I put a full season together and stay fit and then go from there - see if I can actually play 12 months of the year and get overseas.
"That's the next step."
Listen to the full chat with Perry on the latest episode of the Unplayable Podcast, wherever you get your pods or in the player above.