X-man wants more wickets
YOUNG tearaway Xavier Bartlett is prepared to stay patient as he builds on his experiences at the recent under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.
Bartlett and Gold Coast Dolphins teammate Max Bryant were members of the Australian side that lost the final to India.
Both star teenagers are back in the sky blue cap of the Dolphins today for the first day of a Brisbane Premier Grade match against Toombul at Ken Mackay Oval.
Bartlett, a product of the system at The Southport School, has showed abundant talent as a right-arm paceman, although he has never really been able to rip opposing sides apart with big wicket hauls.
That will come in time, he believes.
“It’s like batsmen, they’re not always going to get 80 or 100,” Bartlett said when asked about his lack of multiplewicket figures.
“I’ll stick to my processes and be patient.”
Bartlett was rapt to be a part of the junior World Cup even though he managed to get only two games in for Australia.
“It was unbelievable to play in the World Cup,” he said.
“I thought I bowled well and in the last game the ball came out well.
“I learnt a lot and I have taken a lot away from it.”
Bartlett had back scans during the week but apparently this is a regular practice for young bowlers in the Queensland system.
“It’s just a precautionary thing, they’re doing it with a lot of young bowlers,” he said.
“It’s a workload thing like seeing how much we can handle.”
For today’s visit to inner northern Brisbane the Dolphins have two changes.
Opener Canning Mason is overseas and big-hitting Bryant resumes his spot at the top of the order.
The second change is the relegation of Nathan Lyons to allow for Bartlett’s return.
The mood at Kerrydale is buoyant at the moment, spirits lifted by a win (against South Brisbane) and last weekend’s draw against Sunshine Coast on top of the one-day and T20 finals wins in second grade.
This is the second last game for the Dolphins this season. They finish with another away game to University at St Lucia.