RAIN CHECK
Cricket elite vow to return despite history dampener
SENIOR cricket officials have reaffirmed their long-term commitment to bringing elite fixtures to the Gold Coast, despite rain putting a dampener on Saturday night’s historic Twenty20 international at Metricon Stadium.
Rain poured down in the hour before the T20 between Australia and South Africa – the Coast’s first international match – was scheduled to start on Saturday night, forcing a delay of almost two hours.
But the 12,866 who braved the weather were treated to an entertaining 10 overs a side spectacle as the Proteas proved too good in a 21-run victory, despite the all-round efforts of Glenn Maxwell, who backed up 1-14 and two catches with a solo effort of 38 off 23 balls.
Before that, Metricon’s ground staff earnt their wage by getting the arena ready for action soon after the downpour had stopped and uncovering a flat pitch that would allow 195 runs to be scored across the 20 overs.
A spokesman for Queensland Cricket confirmed 15,100 tickets had been sold and said the Coast was set for many more drawcard fixtures, starting with a three-year Big Bash League contract.
“We would have expected a few more in walk-up attendance if the weather had been kind,” he said. “We can foresee that the market is strong here and there is a lot of positivity.
“This isn’t about trying out the Gold Coast; this is about a long-term investment.”
Gold Coast Dolphins president Jeff Pfaff, a driving force behind bringing top-level cricket to Carrara, said the match-day experience, including teething problems with the scoreboard, will only improve.
GOLD Coast dug deep to share the honours on a stormshortened first day of their Queensland Premier Cricket match against Ipswich-Logan.
The Dolphins were well and truly on the back foot early at Baxter Oval on Saturday as the hosts reached 1-116 before wickets to Liam Hope-Shackley and Matt Kuhnemann (two) pegged the score back to 4-173.
Play lasted just two balls after lunch before constant lightning and thunder set in to force an early end, with the Hornets 4-186 at stumps.
“I think the game is evenly poised at the moment,” said Kuhnemann, who signed a Big Bash deal with the Brisbane Heat during the week.
“They got off to a good start but during the middle period we bowled really well.
“We just set defensive fields and bowled stump-to-stump. We built some pressure on the batters and we got some reward for it.
“Credit to the way the fast bowlers came back from their first spell; their second spells and even third spells were beautiful to watch and made my life a bit easier bowling spin at the other end.”
With 106 overs of play to come next Saturday, some more up-tempo cricket is expected to give both sides a sniff of victory.
“They will have to come hard early and make a game out of it,” Kuhnemann said.
“We’re in a good spot at the moment, we have got their four best batters out so if we get one or two more than we’ll be more comfortable.
“We’ll definitely back ourselves (to chase a total), especially at Ipswich where it is a relatively flat wicket.”
Gold Coast have already shown their ability to bat second this season, chasing down Wynnum-Manly’s 322 last month.
Yesterday, opener Carly Fuller wasted no time in making her mark on the Twenty20 phase of the Katherine Raymont Shield on an up-anddown day for the Dolphins.
After eight one-dayers, the Dolphins welcomed the T20s by scoring 1-145 to set up a 58run win over Sandgate-Redcliffe in a contest shortened to 17 overs a side.
Things were looking just as good in the afternoon match at Bill Pippen Oval against Valleys when Fuller and opening partner Sammy-Jo Johnson combined for a 75-run stand.
However, the innings fell away from there, with the Dolphins scraping to 7-135. After taking 2-12 off four overs, Valleys skipper Leteysha Randall blasted six maximums in a 55ball 78 to see the visitors home with seven balls to spare.
Fuller was the Dolphins’ best across the double-header, backing up an unbeaten 61 with 59 in the afternoon.