The Gold Coast Bulletin

TWO-DAY FORM COUNTS AT DOLPHINS AS FIRST GRADE FINALLY CRACK A WIN

- TERRY WILSON

SOLID weekend work with the bat may not be enough to earn Josh Nelson and Scott Palombo promotion to first grade with the struggling Gold Coast Dolphins.

After the Dolphins floundered over a non-productive weekend in firsts in three Brisbane Premier Grade T20s, Nelson and Palombo did everything right in the seconds.

But club coach Damian Wallis said form in T20s was far different to what is needed in two-day Premier Grade cricket.

Nelson had three matches that produced scores of 63 (from 47 deliveries) against Sandgate Redcliffe, 45 from 47 against Sunshine Coast and 63 not out from 44 against South Brisbane yesterday. Palombo had innings of 41, 39 and 63 from 49 deliveries yesterday.

Given the way the Dolphins have battled to get anything near a decent score for months form like Nelson and Palombo produced is a muchneeded positive for the club.

But they have to do similar in two-dayers, says Wallace.

“They’re T20s (the weekend matches) and a far different format and it’s so hard to judge,” he said.

“We need them to have a good crack at two-dayers.”

On Saturday the drive home from Trevor Hohns Field in Brisbane’s northern outskirts was a long one.

The Dolphins (6-125 from 20 overs) lost to Sunshine Coast (3-125 from 15 overs) in the morning, then backed up against Sandgate Redcliffe (225) with a response of 170 from 17.3 overs. Yesterday fortunes turned around for the Dolphins against South Brisbane at Bill Pippen Oval.

Souths scored 6-178 after being on 10 runs an over pace and the Dolphins made a good fist of their chase, led by Matt Kuhnemann, the leftarm spinner who opened and scored 61 off 39 balls (five fours and two sixes).

In a tense finish the Dolphins needed seven off fhe final over and it was Howard Biddle (35 not out) who clouted a winning boundary to break the losing streak.

 ??  ?? Action from the weekend included (from the top) PBC bowler Ryan Kettle takes on Southport Labrador; Dolphin Josh Kann almost snares a wicket; and Broadbeach batsman Jamie Weston edges a catch.
Pictures: GLENN HAMPSON
Action from the weekend included (from the top) PBC bowler Ryan Kettle takes on Southport Labrador; Dolphin Josh Kann almost snares a wicket; and Broadbeach batsman Jamie Weston edges a catch. Pictures: GLENN HAMPSON

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