Max’s hundred but bowlers get hailed
CENTURION Max Houlahan was the star of the show in Gold Coast’s win over Wynnum/Manly but he believes the credit should go to the side’s gutsy bowling unit.
Having been asked to bowl first in less than friendly conditions at Bill Pippen Oval on Saturday and with the visitors cruising at 2-129, another long match loomed for the Dolphins. But Gold Coast found a way to regularly peg Wynnum/Manly back to be 280 all out.
“The way we bowled was really top class,” Houlahan said. “We got in the grind and enjoyed it out there which I feel sometimes we lack, getting in the grind and doing the tough yards.”
Nathan Lyons dug deep for figures of 4-71; Matt Kuhnemann toiled 31 overs for 2-57; and Max Bryant churned through 21 overs for two key wickets.
Enter their under-fire batting line-up missing injured star No.3 Nick Stevens against an attack spearheaded by Queensland offspinner Jason Floros and former Bulls seamer Alister McDermott.
Bryant (53) and Oscar Richardson (34) laid the platform yesterday with an 83run opening stand before Houlahan took charge. The 20-year-old notched his maiden Queensland Premier Cricket ton – a sublime unbeaten 104 from 152 balls – to guide the Dolphins to a comfortable five-wicket victory. Floros (5-77) was their only threat.
Houlahan revealed “competitive” early exchanges with the fiery Wynnum/ Manly side got him going.
With self-belief now high, the left-hander has reached 40 in four of six innings this season and is averaging 52.
Coach Damian Wallis, who hailed the performance the side’s best “in a couple of seasons”, said spending the past two winters in England playing for Enfield had really done wonders for Houlahan. “Maxy had a really good year last year but he probably would even admit he left quite a few runs out there,” Wallis said.
“Today was just great concentration and the couple of years in England has helped his play against spin.
“One thing Daniel (Doran, captain) spoke about at the start of the game was that we need a couple of matchwinners; Maxy was that today. Special knock.”
Wallis added the effort could provide a blueprint for future matches. Gold Coast’s next face Redlands.
MAXY HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR LAST YEAR BUT HE PROBABLY WOULD EVEN ADMIT HE LEFT QUITE A FEW RUNS OUT THERE ... DOLPHINS COACH DAMIAN WALLIS