Dolphin to face old foe at Metricon
GOLD Coast spinner Matt Kuhnemann will get the chance to impress national selectors and test an old friend when he plays for the Cricket Australia XI against the England Lions in three one-day games.
The left-armer and Dolphins teammate Max Bryant are both in the national team that will take on the tourists at Metricon Stadium in the 50over format tomorrow, Tuesday and Thursday.
Kuhnemann, 23, represented the side in Twenty20 fixtures against South Africa last season and said he would relish the opportunity to impress in his home city on a spinfriendly wicket.
“It’s a good opportunity to go well on a bigger stage with national coaches and selectors there,” said Kuhnemann, who has played 13 List A games for Queensland and the CA XI.
“It can put you on the radar for something and if you go back to your state side and go well then you never know what can happen.”
Among the English players is Kuhnemann’s friend and fellow TSS graduate Sam Hain, a batsman, who went on to forge a career in the UK after leaving school. It will be the first time they get to play each other.
“Sam has been going really well and I was good mates with him at school,” Kuhnemann said. “He was in the grade above me but I was good friends with his twin brother, George, who was in my grade so I hung out with Sam a lot.
“He has a British passport and got an opportunity to play over there so he took that.”
Kuhnemann and Bryant’s selection in the Australian XI means they will be unavailable for the opening day of the Dolphins’ first grade clash with Toombul in Brisbane today.
Gold Coast sit sixth on the two-day ladder despite losing their past two games, and will most likely need to win their last three matches to make finals.
Winless Toombul sit last.