The VECL try-outs are on Wednesday 4 November and Monday 9 November 2026. If your child is thinking about coming along, or you are wondering whether they are ready, this is everything the league has confirmed about the evening, in one place.
One trial, two squads
The most useful thing to know first: one trial picks two squads. Every player who tries out is considered for the December junior franchises — the Western Falcons, Eastern Panthers and Northern Warriors — and, for players aged 12 and over, for the High Performance International Pathway (HPIP) camp squad that travels to the Karnataka Institute of Cricket in Bengaluru in December.
So a single evening opens two doors. A player does not have to decide in advance which one they are aiming for.
Who can try out
Anyone aged 9 and over. Trying out is how a new player joins the league, and you do not need to be playing in VECL already. The try-outs are open to boys and girls, and to senior men and women.
The one age line that matters is for the camp: the HPIP squad is chosen from players aged 12 and over. A 9, 10 or 11-year-old who tries out is being considered for the December franchises.
Where a player lives does not decide whether they can be considered. Players from anywhere in Australia, and from overseas, are welcome. If you cannot get to either trial — because you live interstate or overseas — contact us before the trial dates and the selectors will assess you another way, starting with an interview. It is the same standard, reached by a different route.
Players under 18 try out with a parent or guardian involved from the start.
Dates, times and venues
| Trial one | Trial two | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday 4 November 2026 | Monday 9 November 2026 |
| Venue | Cricket Victoria, Junction Oval indoor centre, St Kilda | Elite Cricket Academy, 87 Elm Park Drive, Hoppers Crossing |
| Time | 7:00pm–9:00pm | 7:00pm–9:00pm |
| Arrive | 6:45pm | 6:45pm |
Players can come to either night or both. You choose when you book, and it is one booking and one $20 fee (inc. GST) either way. Bookings close Sunday 8 November.
What happens on the night
Both trials are indoor sessions covering batting, bowling and fielding, run by Andrew Walton, Director of the league and of the HPIP, and the league’s senior coaches.
The selectors have been open about what they look for, and it is more than skill:
- More than skill. Character, conditioning, cardio, strength and agility are assessed alongside batting, bowling and fielding.
- Seriousness. Whether a player is genuinely invested, rather than along for the ride.
- Response to training demands. How a player handles volume and intensity, not how they look in a single moment.
- Response to overseas conditions — for the camp squad, the ability to cope with heat, unfamiliar surfaces and opposition, and being away from home.
For a young player that should be reassuring rather than daunting. A bad over or an early dismissal is not the whole story. Effort, attitude and how a player responds when something goes wrong are part of what is being watched.
What to bring
The league’s instructions are short: arrive at 6:45pm, in full kit, and bring water.
In practice, “full kit” means the gear your child already uses to bat, bowl and field at training. If they are unsure about anything, bring it rather than leave it at home. A named water bottle helps on a busy night.
Arriving at 6:45pm means the session can start on time at 7:00pm.
What happens afterwards
Selectors review every player, and everyone who tries out is told where they stand. Every player and parent receives structured feedback after the trials, selected or not.
A few things are worth being clear about before you book:
- A try-out does not guarantee selection, for the franchises or for the camp.
- A try-out is not a registration for the camp. Around twenty players are selected for the KIOC camp. The programme cost and what it includes come in writing with each offer, after the try-outs. Nothing beyond the $20 try-out fee is payable until a place is offered and accepted.
- Existing VECL players go through it too if they want a place in the HPIP. Players who have played a VECL season do not need team selection again for the December tournament, but seasons played for a franchise do not carry a place in the pathway with them.
- The selectors’ decision is final.
Booking
Book through vecl.au/register/pathway. The try-outs page has the full detail, and the HPIP page for parents covers supervision, accommodation and duty of care for the camp.
Questions before then go to info@vecl.au. We look forward to seeing your player on the night.