Coast on top in two-dayer

GOLD Coast shrugged off a horror start to its batting innings to end day one in the box seat against Wynnum-Manly at Bill Pippen Oval.

In Saturday’s two-day encounter, the Dolphins recovered from the early loss of opener Max Bryant to record a firstinnings total of 257, before wickets to Nathan Lyons and Matt Kuhnemann left Wynnum-Manly floundering at 2-7 by the close of play.

The day started poorly for the hosts, who sent themselves in to bat and immediately lost Bryant to the bowling of former Dolphin Liam Hope-Shackley.

The first-ball duck brought Hugo Burdon (65 off 105) to the crease, who helped right the ship alongside Scott Palombo (18 off 34) before the latter was sent to the sheds at 2-48.

Trent Keep joined the fray at 5-128 and continued his stellar start to the season with 55 off 117 while Kuhnemann (41 off 103) helped the Dolphins home to a passable first-innings total.

Needing to see out a tricky nine overs to end the day, Wynnum-Manly’s openers were pinned down by Lyons and Kuhnemann.

The Dolphins pair combined for six maidens and two wickets.

Lyons made the breakthrough, trapping opener Corey Hunter lbw for a duck, before Kuhnemann bowled the out-of-form Nicholas King (4 off 8) through the gate to end the day on a high.