King of swing to target Dolphins
UNIVERSITY swing king Scott Walter provides the antithesis of the message on John West tuna cans because he is far from Dolphin-friendly.
For a number of years the 27-year-old left-hander has haunted the Gold Coast Dolphins with his prodigious talent to move the ball around significantly.
Once again Walter represents a danger to Gold Coast when they take on University in a Queensland premier grade fixture that starts at Bill Pippen Oval in Robina today.
The clash features the top two sides on the ladder after two rounds and it could be that Walter plays a key role again.
Certainly his stats against the Dolphins suggest he enjoys being the scourge of the Coast batsmen.
“I think it’s just more that the other bowlers don’t turn up on the day and I just happen to get some wickets,” the schoolteacher said modestly.
“It’s always a fun game against them and Kerrydale (Pippen Oval) is a nice field and it’s a nice facility.”
Last season Walter took 7-33 against the Dolphins in a clash at St Lucia in Brisbane. His numbers before that, in various forms of the game, were 1-9 and 6-91 (2014-15), 5-45 and 3-54 (2013-14), 5-53 (2012-13) and 4-33 and 5-44 (2011-12). That makes it 36 wickets for 362 at an average of 10.05. Walter said University, who have Bulls keeper Chris Hartley and club captain Michael Philipson in their side today, have taken keen interest in Gold Coast’s unbeaten start to the new season. “Obviously the way they have started they are definitely ones to watch out for,” Walter said. “Their younger and older players are firing.” Stand-in Dolphins captain Nick Stevens rates Walter as among the best in the competition. “He is class as he has shown with his results over the past few seasons,” Stevens said. “He has won the Peter Burge Medal and had 50-plus wickets last season.’ The Dolphins have one forced change – losing paceman Nick Buchanan who is being rested because of a bad back. Jackson Smith will come into the side for the first day’s play.