BATTING ISSUES LET DOLPHINS DOWN – YET AGAIN

IT was the same old story for the Gold Coast Dolphins over the weekend – insufficient runs that brought them undone in the Brisbane Premier Grade.

Up against a strong Sandgate Redcliffe line-up at Trevor Hohns Field in northern Brisbane, the Dolphins made only 200 on Saturday.

Yesterday they paid the price as Sandgate (9-339) finished first innings winners.

“We simply threw it away with the bat again – not enough runs,” coach Damian Wallis said of a department that has plagued the Dolphins for two seasons now.

“Even though we lost I was happy with the debuts of Mitch Daly and Josh Kann and Max Houlahan made 88 but deserved a century.

“He has been our most consistent with the bat.”

The Dolphins were right in the game when Sandgate, 2-46 overnight, slipped to 3-81, then 4-100 and 5-128 before a stubborn Lachlan Thompson dug in for a priceless 70 from 153 deliveries.

As much as Thompson was a pain for the Dolphins, former Queensland and West Australian fast bowler Nathan Rimmington was the match-winner. Now 36, Rimmington destroyed the Dolphins on Saturday with figures of 6-68 from 24.1 overs then backed that up with a knock of 92 as the Gators grabbed first innings points.

Liam Hope-Shackley backed up his effort with the bat with 2-30 from nine.

“Liam justified his promotion,” Wallis said of the former Redlands all-rounder who is a Townsville product.